85-year-old William Apted who was charged with one count of dangerous driving occasioning death and two counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous harm, has been disqualified from driving for two years and fined $6,000 by Chief Magistrate Usaia Ratuvili.
Apted was charged after the death of a 4 year old girl in a road accident in Varani Street, Raiwaqa last year.
He had pleaded guilty to the charges.
The four‑year‑old victim was walking with her family members after a church service along Varani Street in Raiwaqa when a vehicle driven by Apted hit the family of four from the side of the road.
Chief Magistrate Ratuvili considered a non-custodial sentence after considering Apted’s medical reports.
He also says that there was no mechanical fault in the vehicle and Apted failed to apply the brakes.
Apted has to pay the $6,000 fine to the court within a month.
He also has to surrender his driver’s license today.
The court has ruled that he has to present his medical report after his two year driving suspension term to determine whether he is fit to drive again.
Chief Magistrate Ratuvili says Apted has torn apart a young girl from the warm embrace of her family with his negligence.
He adds to further impose a sentence of imprisonment would not be appropriate having regard to all the circumstances.
The Chief Magistrate says this sentence will only be applicable to this case bearing in mind its own peculiarly tragic facts and will not in any way affect the settled tariffs set out for these offences.
