Linda Davis: E-scooter rider, 14, sentenced over woman's death

Linda Davis, known as Lou, died from head injuries six days after she was hit

A 14-year-old has been sentenced for causing the death of a woman while on a privately-owned electric scooter.

The boy, who cannot be named, hit Linda Davis on a pavement in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, on 2 June.

The 71-year-old grandmother died six days later in hospital.

At Nottingham Youth Court on Wednesday, he was handed a 12-month referral order. Police say Mrs Davis is thought to be the first pedestrian to die in an e-scooter collision in the UK.

The teenager had admitted causing death by driving a vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence, and causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured at a hearing in February.

Avoidable tragedy

The boy was also disqualified from driving for five years.

Both of his parents have been given a six-month parenting order and ordered to pay the prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £26.

District Judge Leo Pyle said: "Pavements are for pedestrians and people in wheelchairs or infants in prams. They are supposed to be free of vehicles of any type.

"This mode of transport should not be there. This tragic incident was avoidable."

Mrs Davis, 71, was struck outside shops in Southwell Road East, Rainworth

The judge told the court the teenager's father had bought the e-scooter for him six days earlier and "in that short time", the defendant had already fractured his thumb while riding it on a separate occasion.

The court heard Mrs Davis was about to go into a charity shop in Southwell Road East when she was struck, hitting her head as she fell.

Her husband of 52 years, Gary, came out of another shop to find her on the floor, with the defendant on the phone to emergency services.

The court heard the defendant said at the scene he was travelling at 20mph (32km/h), but investigations had not been able to calculate the speed of the e-scooter at the time of the crash.

Kelly Shooter, prosecuting, said it was believed Mrs Davis could not have been seen by the boy before being hit as he travelled along the pavement past several cars parked along the kerb.

She said: "According to a witness, Mrs Davis stepped out from behind a Ford Transit van into [the boy's] path.

"It is likely that Mrs Davis, as she walked behind it, would not have been able to be seen, so it seems very likely that Mrs Davis did step out from behind the van into [the boy's] path."

'My heart was broken'

In a victim impact statement, Mr Davis described his wife as "my spark and the centre of my world".

Mrs Davis's daughter, Rebecca Williams, said her mother was "a very youthful, lively and amazing nan".

She said: "To watch your children watch someone they love die is a pain I would not wish on anyone.

"My heart was broken and I never expected to lose my mum in such a devastating way.

"I understand that accidents happen.

"But I also understand that every time anyone gets on an e-scooter, whether it be a legal or illegal one, you are taking your actions in your own hands, so expect consequences if something happens."

Most e-scooters cannot be used without insurance and tax but Nottingham is running a trial of hiring them out

It is illegal to use privately-owned e-scooters on pavements, footpaths, cycle tracks and cycle lanes on roads.

To be used on public roads they must conform to requirements, including being insured, taxed, and used with relevant safety equipment.

However, the Department for Transport's website states "it is likely that they [riders] will find it very difficult to comply with all of these requirements", meaning their use on public roads would effectively be a criminal offence.

They can be used on private land, with the landowner's permission.

About 1,300 e-scooters have been made available for hire in Nottingham where a government-approved trial is taking place.

These are legal on public roads in some areas of the city.