Ex-Brookside star Louis Emerick admits injuring girls in car crash

The actor, who is best known for playing Brookside's Mick Johnson, has also appeared in Casualty and Doctors

Actor Louis Emerick has admitted causing serious injury by careless driving after hitting two 12-year-old girls with his car.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the 64-year-old struck the girls while driving his Honda car on Poulton Road, Wallasey, in October 2022.

It said the former Brookside star "was not speeding but admitted that he couldn't see clearly because of the sun so he should have slowed down".

He is due to be sentenced on 21 June.

The CPS said the actor, who was charged under his full name Louis Emerick Grant, admitted two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving at Wirral Magistrates' Court.

A representative said Emerick, of Liscard in Wirral, was driving his car towards Wallasey Village as the two girls crossed Poulton Road at about 17:15 GMT on 2 October 2022.

'Co-operative and remorseful'

They said his car cut the corner of the right-hand bend, went into the "centre hatched markings" where the girls were and struck them.

They added that he "was not seen to slow down or brake", but his speed had not been "excessive" and a breathalyser test showed no evidence he had taken drink or drugs.

They also said Emerick, who was wearing prescription glasses which react to sunlight, told officers he had looked to his near side, but had not seen the girls crossing because the sun was in his eyes.

Speaking after the hearing, district crown prosecutor Linda Melia said the actor "was not speeding, but admitted that he couldn't see clearly because of the sun, so he should have slowed down".

"He has been fully co-operative and remorseful throughout the investigation and has apologised on numerous occasions," she said.

She added that he had also been in contact with both girls' families to apologise.

"It's clear [he] did not mean to injure these girls, but the events of that day are a lesson that, when we are at the wheel of a car, care and attention are needed at all times," she said.

Emerick is best known for his role as Mick Johnson on the Liverpool-based soap, but has appeared on a number of other shows, including Doctors, Last of the Summer Wine, Casualty, Coronation Street, Silent Witness and Zapped.

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