An L-plater who was 49 when she hit a 12-year-old as she was walking to school and kept driving has been jailed for 16 months.<\/p>\n
Judge Laura Christian said Tahira Shaheen, who is now 52, was “callous” in failing to check whether the schoolgirl was still alive, and had concocted multiple stories to explain her actions.<\/p>\n
Shaheen’s car struck the girl at a pedestrian crossing in a school zone in the southern Perth suburb of Willetton in June 2023.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Alexis Lloyd was taken to hospital after being hit by the car. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
The District Court heard a crossing guard had put flags out and started walking across the road when Alexis Lloyd, 12, was hit by the left side of Shaheen’s hatchback.<\/p>\n
The Willetton Senior High student suffered a broken leg and collar bone and was forced to use a wheelchair for weeks.<\/p>\n
Driver denied knowledge<\/p>\n
After an extensive investigation, police charged Shaheen in August with failing to stop and render assistance and failing to report the incident to police.<\/p>\n
Shaheen only had a learner’s permit not a full licence, was driving unsupervised and was not displaying L plates.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Alexis suffered a broken leg and collarbone. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
Judge Christian said she had told police she did not report what happened because she “panicked” and was “embarrassed”.<\/p>\n
But Shaheen had given varying explanations of why she did not stop, telling her husband she did not know how the damage to the vehicle occurred.<\/p>\n
In another version, she claimed to have run over a large musical instrument.<\/p>\n
Shaheen must serve at least eight months before being eligible for parole.<\/p>\n
‘Entirely dependent on husband’<\/p>\n
Defence lawyer Shash Nigam described the 52-year-old, who was born in Pakistan, as being “part of a subculture within a cultural group”.<\/p>\n
Mr Nigam said she was “entirely dependent on her husband” and had been “protected” from having to deal with things in the world.<\/p>\n
He told the court Shaheen had been trying to encourage younger women in her cultural group to be independent and not rely on their husbands or fathers.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Shaheen was driving without a licence when she hit the schoolgirl and failed to stop. (ABC News: Nic Perpitch)<\/p>\n
The court heard that since the incident, Shaheen had obtained her driver’s licence.<\/p>\n
Speaking outside court, Alexis Lloyd’s mother Tory Carter welcomed the sentence.<\/p>\n
“Today’s sentencing has brought justice finally for the callous hit and run,” she said.<\/p>\n
“We’re relieved that the court today finally recognised the seriousness of this crime.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Alexis Lloyd’s mother Tory Carter spoke to media outside court on Thursday. (ABC News: Dave Weber)<\/p>\n
“We hope the outcome sends a strong message that leaving the scene of a crime and failing to take responsibility is unacceptable.”<\/p>\n
Ms Carter said her daughter was generally doing well, but the mental scars would be there “for a long time to come”.<\/p>\n
“She’s a trouper,” she said.<\/p>\n
But Ms Carter said she was shocked to learn Shaheen had got her licence since the incident.<\/p>\n
Judge Christian said Shaheen suffered from depression and anxiety, but she rejected the evidence of one psychologist who had suggested the 52-year-old had an intellectual disability.<\/p>\n
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