A pensioner who was driving without her glasses on crashed into a cyclist and left him with serious injuries.
Lynda Bonner, 76, of Heath Way, Horsham, was making a right turn in North Heath Lane, Horsham, when she drove into Stuart Baker.
Bonner was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving after the crash in her grey Vauxhall Corsa Sri on Wednesday 6 March.
She was also charged with driving without her glasses when she wasn’t able to see properly without them.
Mr Baker needed an operation on each of his legs and is facing at least six months of rehabilitation while managing 24-hour pain.
Bonner was due to be sentenced at Lewes Crown Court but the hearing could not go ahead because there was no barrister available to prosecute the case.
John Dye was prepared to mitigate on behalf of Bonner, said: “It’s truly disappointing.”
Judge Christine Laing, the honorary recorder of Brighton and Hove, said: “Frankly, it’s unconscionable in a case of this seriousness with a fixed date for sentence. This sort of thing happens in this court on a daily basis.”
She said that defendants and victims were desperate to know the outcome but the barrister who had originally been expected to prosecute the case was unavoidably absent.
Judge Laing added: “There aren’t enough barristers to cover the courts and the CPS does not seem to have a system in place to cover the overworked advocates.
“There is a nationwide shortage of barristers so this is not an unusual situation for the court.
“But I have to be fair to both sides including the victim in this matter. The prosecution represents the public and the victim.”
The judge said that the case “crosses the custody threshold”, putting the defendant at risk of imprisonment although the court would take into account her age and previous good character.
Judge Laing added that she would have to weigh up whether “immediate custody is necessary” or whether it would be more appropriate to impose a suspended sentence.
The sentencing was adjourned until Friday (2 August). Bonner will remain on bail and was told not to drive. She faces a minimum driving ban of two years.
