A woman broke down in court as she described losing her leg after being run over by a bus in Glasgow city centre.
Roseanne Coyle, 62, told Glasgow Sheriff Court she was struck on Hope Street on November 10th 2022 while Christmas shopping.
Joseph Connelly, 57, from Paisley, is on trial accused of causing serious injury by careless driving. Court papers state he had cannabis in his system and was wearing an earphone at the time.
Prosecutors allege he failed to keep a proper lookout and struck Miss Coyle, throwing her under the wheels of the bus and leaving her with severe injuries, permanent disfigurement and a permanent impairment.
Miss Coyle gave evidence from a wheelchair. She told the court she had been heading for the No. 75 bus home to Possilpark and that she waited for the green man at the pedestrian crossing.
She said: “As I crossed the road, I got hit by a bus and I can’t remember anything after that.”
Her next memory, she said, was lying at the side of the road in pain.
“I was crying… I was in shock, I didn’t know what had happened.”
She was taken to hospital by ambulance, where her lower left leg was amputated.
Asked about the impact on her life, she said: “It has totally ruined my life… physically, mentally, everything.” She told the court she rarely leaves the house now.
CCTV footage from inside the bus was shown several times.
Defence solicitor Tony Bolland suggested the footage showed she had not waited at the crossing, which she denied. He also put it to her that she told paramedics she crossed the road without looking and that she was unsure what type of vehicle hit her. She rejected both claims.
Police sergeant Elaine Scott told the court that Connelly was wearing a left-side AirPod, which she said could “potentially distract” a driver. She said she saw him “glance down” and “take his eyes off the road”.
Connelly was travelling at around 17mph at the time. PS Scott said she would normally drive no more than 10mph at that junction.
Under cross-examination, she accepted there was no evidence the AirPod was playing anything or that he had one in his right ear. She also stated that Miss Coyle was “in part to blame” because she could have crossed directly at the crossing and checked for oncoming traffic.
PC Gordon McAvoy told jurors that Connelly immediately identified himself as the driver, describing him as “pleasant” and “quite concerned” about Miss Coyle’s condition.
The trial continues before Sheriff Paul Reid.