A SCHOOLBOY who was seriously injured after being involved in a crash with a car told a court he was left "angry and hurt" after the driver did not stop at the scene.
Comments from 13-year-old Seth Yates were heard at the trial of Anita Lizinkiewicz who appeared in court yesterday in connection with the crash in Weymouth on July 4, 2023.
While the court accepted she was not to blame for the crash, by law she should have stopped and given her details - unless she was unaware it had happened.
Lizinkiewicz, aged 40, of Drake Avenue in Chickerell, was charged with failing to report an accident to police and to failing to stop after an accident and give her details and the details of the vehicle owner as well as identification marks for the vehicle.
She denied both charges but was found guilty after a trial at Weymouth Magistrates Court.
The conclusion of the trial brings to an end to a two-year nightmare for Seth and his family.
He was 12 when he ran into the path of the defendant's car in Chickerell Road after coming out of Budmouth Academy for the day.
READ MORE: Mother of boy hit by car in Chickerell Road tells of shock
Seth sustained a broken tooth, a bruised elbow and two dislodged teeth and is still receiving dental treatment for his injuries as well as counselling.
The court heard Lizinkiewicz stopped her car for 17 seconds before driving away.
Seth and his family made an appeal in the Dorset Echo a few days later expressing their shock, thanking people who came to his aid, and backing a police appeal for witnesses to come forward about the crash.
READ MORE: Mother of boy hit by car 'frustrated' by police response
Lizinkiewicz later came forward to police identifying herself as the driver.
In a victim statement read out in court, Seth said: "After the crash the driver did not stop to see how I was.
"I felt angry and sad and hurt.
"It upset me that she must have seen how badly I was hurt by photos in the Echo but did not think I was worth the time or effort to come forward.
"She hit me with her car and carried on with her life."
Seth can be named as part of the court proceedings after reporting restrictions which would ordinarily prevent the press from naming him were lifted by magistrates.
In the trial, it was heard that the matter for the court was whether Lizinkiewicz knew she was involved in the crash.
Elizabeth Valera, prosecuting, said: "This trial is not about who is at fault for the accident.
"Seth was running for his bus, he crossed a road behind a van when the defendant drove past.
"Seth collided with her vehicle and manages to stay on his feet and runs back to the pavement.
"The defendant pulled up her car and stopped for 17 seconds, traffic builds behind her and she drives away."
The court was shown CCTV footage taken from the rear of a bus which captured Seth colliding with the car.
Giving evidence in court Seth said: "I wanted to cross the road, I got out to the road and I collided with the car.
"I was scared, crying, my front tooth broke in half and I caught the other half.
"I came back screaming because I was in a lot of pain, I thought my face would be disfigured."
Lizinkiewicz - who gave evidence via a Polish interpreter - said she did not know she had hit Seth with her car.
She said: "If I had been aware, I would have stayed.
"I also have children, they are my life and I can't imagine anyone to leave someone like that and not to report it."
Asked why she stopped for 17 seconds, she said: "I don't remember what happened. I can only assume from the footage that I must have heard something and I stopped.
"Perhaps I looked around and saw nothing. If anyone saw something they would have alerted me. It had not crossed my mind that someone might have hit the car."
In her interview with police, Lizinkiewicz said she stopped, possibly because there was an issue with her car.
She was asked later if she took car to the garage, she answered: "No, a ball may have hit my car, maybe a bird."
Simon Lacey, defending, said: "She has no previous convictions, she is of previous good character."
The court heard from her landlord as a character witness, who described her as "honest and trustworthy".
Louise Dutton, chair of the magistrates' bench said: "It is agreed Seth Yates ran into the side of the defendant's vehicle.
"Taking into account the CCTV footage, the likely point of impact and the injuries caused, we do not think the defendant would not have caused an impact more substantial than a ball or a bird.
"The fact she stopped for 17 seconds before leaving indicates she knew something had happened."
Lizinkiewicz will be sentenced on Tuesday, November 22.
Speaking after the trial, Seth's mum Louisa Yates said the trial was "closure" for her family.
She said: "It is a relief and it is good to see the justice system eventually prevail.
"Seth is still undergoing counselling, he still does not like cars or roads.
"He is still receiving treatment for injuries to his teeth and he still suffers pain when he eats.
"He is still struggling, the experience shook him quite a bit but I hope he can draw a line under it now.
"He just needs to learn how to cross a road.
"It is closure. It is justice."
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