A MOTORIST who caused a crash on the A7 which injured a female driver has been fined £1,800 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Scott Fawkes, 22, was initially charged with dangerous driving following the incident when he collided with a stationary car on the A7 Hawick to Langholm road at Newmill on the evening of April 12 last year.

But he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of careless driving and managed to avoid a period of disqualification when his licence was endorsed with nine penalty points.

The court heard how Fawkes of Stainton Road, Carlisle, was overtaking a vehicle but did not notice that a car in front was stationary as it prepared to turn right.

He managed to swerve past the vehicle on the inside but lost control and struck another stationary vehicle in front.

The collision resulted in Deborah Crozier being released from the vehicle by fire fighters, suffering from neck and back pain and a cut to the back of her head.

She was unconscious for 15 minutes but depute fiscal Erin Illand said she was expected to make a full recovery.

Defence lawyer Colin Severin said his client required his licence for his job as a steel erector with an engineering firm.

He added: "He has expressed genuine sympathy for the woman who was injured."

Sheriff Mungo Povey said it was a serious matter which merited disqualification but had been persuaded to impose the points instead as well as the £1800 fine to be paid at £50 a week