A young care worker will be sentenced next month after admitting causing the death of a frail Angus OAP.
Montrose 79-year-old John Sangster was crossing the town’s Baltic Street when he emerged from between two parked cars into the path of Anna McCallum’s Kia Picanto in December 2012.
He hit the windscreen and was thrown over the car, landing on the road behind it.
A subsequent investigation suggested McCallum, 23, was distracted by loud music in her car.
After becoming momentarily distracted she was unable to react when the pensioner appeared in the road.
Mr Sangster, who walked with a stoop,suffered a serious head injury aftersmashing off the windscreen of the car and died three days later in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
At Forfar Sheriff Court on Tuesday,McCallum of Harbour Place, Johnshaven, pleaded guilty to driving carelessly on December 1 2012 .
She admitted failing to keep a lookoutfor pedestrians and striking Mr Sangster.
She had originally been charged withfailing to keep her windscreen clear and driving with obscured vision and no water in her screenwash reservoir but this was removed from the charge.
Police estimated McCallum wastravelling at between 22 and 29 miles per hour at the time.
The low sun was shining directly on to Baltic Street and the accident report said the damp road surface would have caused reflection.
An agreed narrative presented to the court said Mr Sangster caused a large dent in the bonnet of the Kia as he was struck, shattering the windscreen of the car.
He came to rest behind the Kia in thecentre of the road.
An ambulance was called and MrSangster was treated at the scene before being taken to Ninewells.
The court heard he succumbed to the head injury on December 4.
The accused was traced sitting on the pavement in what was described as a “greatly distressed state” and admitted to being the driver of the car.
The vehicle was subsequently examined and found to have sustained substantial impact damage.
Investigators also discovered that thevolume on the stereo system was turned up high.
There was no evidence of heavy braking at the scene and the distance beyondimpact suggested that McCallum hadneither seen nor reacted to the deceased prior to impact.
“The conclusion is that the accused was listening to loud music and became momentarily distracted,” read thenarrative.
McCallum, who was represented by solicitor Nick Markowski, is a first offender with no driving convictions, the court heard.
Sheriff Gregor Murray deferred sentence on her until December 18 for a social inquiry report to be obtained.
She was disqualified from driving in the interim.