A driver has been sentenced after hitting an 11-year-old girl who was on a bicycle before driving away.   

Farhan Musaji was behind the wheel of an Audi on Wigan Road at around 6.50pm.

He failed to notice that the light was red and that Layla Shepherd was cycling across.

Bolton Crown Court heard Musaji hit the girl before driving off.

The 26-year-old pharmacist later discarded the vehicle he was driving and went home to his father and explained what he had done.

Police were called and he attended at an interview.

Musaji, of Evesham Close, Bolton, was initially charged with causing injury by dangerous driving.

However this was dropped by prosecutors and he admitted careless driving and failing to stop after the scene of an accident during the incident in October 2021.

The Bolton News: Farhan Musaji leaving courtFarhan Musaji leaving court (Image: Newsquest)

The girl was taken to hospital where she remained for six days.

Anna Bond, prosecuting, read a victim impact statement from the girl.

It said: “I feel the whole incident has left me overwhelmed.

“I am traumatised and seeing a psychiatrist having been diagnosed with PTSD.

“I have flashbacks and wake up in the night.”

Peter Malone, defending, said “sheer panic” had caused him to flee the scene.

He said he had not been in trouble since the incident and had no previous convictions of penalty points on his licence at the time it took place.

He said: “I do not stress this enough, the remorse Mr Musaji feels and his regret for coming before you today.”

Judge Elliot Knopf said: “Rather than turning back and seeking to provide assistance and comfort to the girl with whom you had collided and who had been injured significantly by your actions you ran off.

“It is said that on reflection for your absolutely disgraceful behaviour in running off that you feel genuine remorse for what you did.

“I am prepared to accept that.”

Judge Knopf placed Musaji on a community order to last for a year and ordered him to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

He also banned him from the roads for a year, fined him £400, ordered him to pay £300 in costs and compensation to his victim of £900.