Pavement cyclist crash scars – and nearly blinds – Dagenham boy, 4
Vinnie Bailey, four, with his mum Kristie Middleton. The healing injury can still be clearly seen on his forehead - Credit: Archant
A four-year-old boy narrowly missed being blinded when a cyclist rode into his forehead as he was walking home from school.
Vinnie's head was cut open, part-exposing his skull - Credit: Archant
Vinnie Bailey has been scarred for life by the bike’s brake lever, which plunged into his forehead, exposing his skull.
The culprit – spotted riding on the pavement again three days later – was fined just £30.
Now Vinnie’s mum, Kristie Middleton, of Hogarth Road, Dagenham, has spoken of her shock.
She had collected Vinnie and a friend from Roding School in Dagenham on October 10 and they were walking along Babington Road.
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“The woman came around the corner and rode straight into him,” Kristie, 38, recalled. “I could see her coming and just thought she was going to stop but the brake went straight into his head and cut it open.
“You could see his skull. If he’d been any taller it would have taken his eye out.” Vinnie needed six stitches.
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A parent Kristie was with at the time of the incident spotted the brazen cyclist riding on the pavement again just three days later.
She approached the woman and asked for her details. As a result, the police later fined her £30.
“I don’t think it’s enough,” said Kristie.
“She’s back to riding on the pavement after she hit a child. I wouldn’t even have been able to get back on that bike.”
A police spokesman said riding on the pavement was illegal and added: “There are more cycle lanes being created and more courses being made available to provide and develop skills and confidence for riding on the roads.”
