A woman who left a Birchington postman with life changing injuries after hitting him with her car has been sentenced at Margate Magistrates Court.
Sheree Fogarty, 44, of of Millmead Road, Margate, was found guilty of failing to stop after a collision and failing to provide a specimen of breath when required to do so. The court found her guilty in her absence last month after she failed to turn up.
A charge of driving while unfit through alcohol was dropped.
Postman Vince Marsh was hit by Fogarty while making his deliveries in College Road, Margate on January 6. She then drove off.
Vince was airlifted to King’s College hospital with multiple injuries including four fractured ribs, a broken leg and a knee cap that was removed but put back in place, a fractured eye socket, deep cut to his head and scrapes and bruises.
Vince remained in hospital for six weeks and his recovery is still an ongoing process.
Fogarty received a 6 month suspended sentence, was banned from driving for three years and ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and pay £600 costs.
Following the incident a fundraising campaign was launched in aid of the air ambulance and there was a groundswell of support and well-wishes for Vince who had been with the Post Office for 29 years,.
The 59-year-old, who is still undergoing physio, said: “I am doing OK, some good days some bad. I am glad judge put her in her place and took no nonsense. I was expecting a lighter sentence, as she was, but I assume the judge knew she had no remorse.
“I am pleased with the outcome and now I can move on with my life. My leg is taking longer to recover than I expected. The insides of my leg, the blood vessels, have taken a battering and show no reading with a Doppler test so I have to wait for them to heal and recover. I and my doctor don’t know how long this will take. It could be years but I will adjust my life accordingly.”
“This incident has shown me I have fantastic friends, colleagues, family and customers. I didn’t realise (there would be so much support) as you just get on with your job, delivering the mail and chatting to customers. I shall miss them if I can’t get back to work, which looks unlikely.”
