A woman responsible for a serious injury accident in a shopping centre car park has narrowly escaped an immediate prison sentence.

Fatema Tujjohara received the maximum-operational length for a suspended prison term, 24 months, which will be suspended for 24 months, at a hearing at Durham Crown Court.

It arises from an accident said to have taken place at Dalton Park outlet shopping centre in Murton, County Durham, in which an elderly female victim suffered life-changing head and facial injuries, on Friday December 3, 2021.

The Northern Echo: Serious injury accident took place outside Dalton Park shopping centre, in Murton, in December 2021

The now 35-year-old defendant, of The Avenue, Seaham, who was at the wheel of a Toyota Yaris at the time, was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Following a series of listings since the case was committed to the crown court by Newton Aycliffe magistrates, in May, Tujjohara pleaded guilty to the charge at a further case management hearing on Friday, November 3.

The case was adjourned to be sentenced before Judge James Adkin on Tuesday (December 19).

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He imposed the 24-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, 12 months of which will be under supervision.

Tujjohara must also complete 240 hours of unpaid work, or community payback, during the first year of the suspended jail term.

She was also disqualified from driving for two years.