A man has been disqualified from driving for four years and given a 12-month suspended sentence after a collision in Knaphill last December.

Officers were called to the Broadway at around 5.50pm on Wednesday, December 6 last year following reports of a collision between the driver of a red Fiat 500 and a pedestrian.

Eyewitnesses said the driver of the Fiat clipped a kerb and rode up onto the pavement hitting a man in his 80s who was standing there. The impact caused the victim serious injuries, and the driver then left the scene without stopping.

Kudzai Obey Phiri, 41, from Wokingham, was arrested, and charged with causing serious injury by careless driving, failing to stop at the scene of a collision, driving with no insurance, and driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

On Friday, December 6 at Guildford Crown Court he was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, was disqualified from driving for four years and will have to take an extended retest before he can drive again. He was also mandated to attend 20 rehabilitation sessions and given 180 hours of unpaid work.

Investigating officer DC Matt Lloyd, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This collision was completely avoidable, but Phiri committed a catalogue of errors. As a result, an innocent person has been left with ongoing health issues. I am pleased we were able to locate and arrest Phiri and get him before the courts.”