Senior citizen claims trial to three charges of reckless, dangerous driving

Tan (middle) being escorted into the courthouse at the Magistrate’s Court in George Town on Thursday.

GEORGE TOWN: A 76-year-old woman pleaded not guilty to three charges of reckless and dangerous driving at a Magistrate's Court here.

Tan Leuk Ley claimed trial to all three charges read under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 before Magistrate Siti Nurul Suhaila Baharin.

The charge is punishable with imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of no less than RM5,000 and no more than RM15,000 upon conviction.

Tan is charged with driving at a dangerous speed and knocking into 23-year-old motorcyclist Mohammad Afiq Roszani along Jalan Bukit Gambir at around 2.15pm on Nov 27 last year.

She is also charged with knocking into 40-year-old motorcyclist and his 15-year-old pillion rider Nur Irfan Hakim Mohd Nor Ezrie at the same location, time and date.

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For the third charge, Tan allegedly drove recklessly and knocked into the motorcycle of 22-year-old Muhammad Syamil Zulkarnian and Kristina Abdullah, 22, at the same location, time and date.

In submissions for bail, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Atikah Asharaf Ali urged the court to set RM10,000 for each charge.

Responding in mitigation, Tan's lawyer Dev Kumaraendran said she is a retired police clerk who worked for 30 years before retiring due to having cholesteatoma, requiring three surgeries.

"She is still being treated for it and is hard of hearing. She has never tried to avoid the case and is not a flight risk. I urge the court to reduce the bail as it is to make sure she comes to court and it is not a punishment," he said.

Siti Nurul Suhaila set bail at RM15,000 for all three charges with one surety.

"I add on a condition that the accused and her family must not disturb the victims," she said.

She then set March 8 for submission of documents and the medical report.