Driver who struck woman and dragged her along ground before fleeing scene avoids jail

A driver who struck a woman and dragged her along the ground before fleeing the scene has avoided a jail term.

Jason Rae, 54, struck the then-32-year-old in Bell Street in Glasgow’s Merchant City on June 10, 2023.

The woman had lost her balance and fallen to the ground after having her hand on a taxi, which then drove off.

The victim was then struck by Rae’s vehicle while she was on the ground and dragged along the road.

Rae, of the city’s Mount Vernon, then fled the scene.

Rae later told police officers that he had been in another area of the city and called the charge against him “fictitious.”

Woman suffered multiple injuries

The woman was taken to hospital and was found to have suffered a string of injuries.

This included a fractured skull, fractured eye socket, facial fractures, shattered spleen, liver wounds and disruption of blood to the kidney.

She also sustained a collapsed right lung, tissue loss to her shoulder, multiple rib fractures, a friction burn and a shattered pelvis.

The woman underwent several surgical procedures and was kept on ventilation until June 23, 2023, before being discharged from the hospital on August 19, 2023.

Rae was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court of causing serious injury to the woman by careless driving.

He was also convicted of failing to stop to give his name and address after being in an accident.

Sheriff Louise Arrol KC told Rae at Tuesday’s sentencing: “Before I can impose custody, I have to be satisfied that there are no other appropriate methods of dealing with you.

“I am not satisfied, and I will impose a community payback order.”

Rae tagged for 12 months

Rae was put under supervision for two years and ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work.

Rae was further tagged for 12 months, keeping him indoors between 7pm and 7am.

He was also disqualified from driving for five years, after which he will have to complete an extended test before he is allowed back on the road.

It was revealed that Rae’s previous convictions include an assault as well as a 2022 careless driving matter.

Bronwyn Moore, defending, told the sentencing that her client continues to profess his innocence.

Ms Moore added: “He appreciates the seriousness of the matter he was convicted of and that [the victim] suffered significant injuries, which has had an impact on him, and he can reflect on that aspect of it.”