A motorcyclist who knocked over a six-year-old girl on her way to school has been cleared of driving without due care and attention.

Amy Hale, 29, hit Jessica Yates, now seven, at the junction of the Leatherhead Road and Merritt Gardens in Chessington.

The Lovelace Primary School pupil was left with a broken collarbone after the accident on September 21 last year.

Miss Hale, who denied the offence, was travelling along the A243, Leatherhead Road, towards the M25 when she approached the lights next to a lorry.

Lorry driver Royston Short said there was “bumper to bumper” traffic when he waved a woman and five children on before one was hit by Miss Hale.

Miss Hale, of Birdhurst Road, Croydon, told Richmond Magistrates’ Court: “I could not see them, my vision was obscured – the lorry was in the way. “I was not expecting them to cross.

“I did not go through a red light. I stayed at the same speed between 10 and 15mph. “I was not driving unsafely.”

She also told magistrates when she saw Jessica she tried to stop and swerved the other way to reduce impact.

PC Nicola Stilliard said she cautioned an “extremely distressed” Miss Hale.

But she said: “I can see how something like this happened – I am a cyclist myself so I understand, Miss Hale had perhaps been naive and inexperienced. “My colleague and I were surprised this came to court.”

Delivering the verdict, magistrate Mr Pountin said: “We believe Miss Hale was driving at a cautious speed. We cannot be sure beyond reasonable doubt that the lights were not green.”

Speaking after the case, Miss Hale said: “I felt awful about it. I went to the hospital with the girl and six months later I got a summons.

“I am relieved this has come to justice.”

Sarah Yates, mother of Jessica, said: “Jessica is happy and back to her normal self, but still very wary about roads.”

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