AN IRVINE man who ran over an 81-year-old man has been banned from driving for six months.

The pensioner suffered a broken leg and head injury after Ian Nicolson struck him with his van outside the Co-op in Dreghorn.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard the elderly man was walking across the road heading in to the shop in Townfoot when Nicolson’s van ran him over.

The 48-year-old appeared in the dock last week and admitted to driving without due care and attention.

Fiscal Saud Hussain told the court: “At 8.55am at Townfoot Co-op. The road surface was dry on the single carriageway. The road was 30mph. CCTV captured the incident which showed the victim walking halfway across the road walking towards the Co-op.

“At the same time the accused was driving a motor van exiting the car park, turning right and driving past the co-op the accused failed to see the victim on the road and struck him with the front side of the vehicle causing the witness to fall to the ground and strike his head on the carriageway.

“A nearby witness was exiting the Co-op and observed the impact and immediately contacted emergency services and assist until police arrived.”

Mr Hussain told the court the victim spent four weeks in Crosshouse Hospital trying to recover from a broken leg, a head injury and bleeding to his knee.

Mr Hussain said: “The witness sustained a broken bone in his left leg a bleed to his right knee and an abrasion to the back of his head. He was taken to Crosshouse Hospital for treatment and was there for four weeks.”

Nicolson, an electrician, claimed he “simply did not see” the elderly man before he hit him.

His lawyer Graham Mann said: “The only issue he takes with that narrative is that he says he called the emergency services and got out of his vehicle and attended the complainer.

“He offers no excuses and no explanation. His position is he quite simply did not see the gentleman. He has no recollection. It has caused him a great deal of anxiety and he wants to express his remorse to the court.”

Sheriff Craig Harris fined Nicolson £225 and banned him from the roads for six months.