A driver who left cyclists with lifelong injuries by ploughing into the heart of their peloton during a club run has been banned from driving.

Melissa McKelligott, 44, ignored a Give Way sign and smashed into several of the eight-strong group out riding for the Dundee Wheelers club. She hit and injured three of the cyclists and caused severe injuries to two of them including forcing one rider to undergo a hip replacement.

One cyclist described how she was catapulted through the air and suffered serious injuries which forced her to miss the Scottish Championship a week later. Perth Sheriff Court was told today that McKelligott was so distressed by the carnage she caused that she was unable to look at her victims.

McKelligott, who was driving on a temporary US licence in Scotland, was banned for 93 weeks and ordered to carry out 225 hours unpaid work in the community. She admitted driving carelessly and crashing into three cyclists near Rait in the Carse of Gowrie on 27 July last year. She admitted causing serious injury to Brian Barr, 54, and Helen Wall, 29.

The court was told that the cyclists were part of a larger group undertaking a ride through the Perthshire countryside when the accident happened.

Fiscal depute Sam Craib said: "At about 6.45 pm the accused's black Mini Cooper travelled through the junction at a Give Way sign. She collided with the cyclists. She went straight through the junction. her offside wing mirror snapped off and there were scratches on her vehicle. She got out of the vehicle and was in shock and screaming.

"She made her way to the verge where she sat down, facing away from the cyclists because she couldn't bear to look at the damage she had caused."

Members of the cycling group checked she was unhurt and heard her say: "There's a Give Way sign - why didn't I stop, why didn't I stop?" Paramedics and an air ambulance attended the scene and Mr Barr and Ms Wall were stabilised at the scene before being transferred to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

"Mr Barr broke his right hip and required a hip replacement. He received physio until December 2022. The hip is 75 per cent repaired and that is as good as it's going to get.

"He suffers pain in his hip. He had a partially collapsed lung, four broken ribs and multiple cuts and bruises. Ms Wall had two fractures to her lumber spine.

"She had a shoulder injury and severe chest and rib pain. The third cyclist, Robert Mills, had bruised knees, cuts down his side and a sore neck," Mr Craib said.

"Ms Wall had an 18-month recovery period. She is expected to have nuisance level symptoms throughout her life."

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said McKelligott, from Warrington Crescent, Edinburgh, had a US licence which allowed her to drive in the UK from April 2022 for 12 months.

"She has not driven since the incident," the lawyer said, "She fully accepts she failed to stop at the Give Way sign. She did see the cyclists in the corner of her eye.

"She made an emergency stop which caused her vehicle to collide with the cyclists. She did remain at the scene until the emergency services arrived."

Sheriff Mark Thorley said: "It is obviously a serious matter. The consequences were quite serious. Two people were badly injured and neither has fully recovered."

The court heard that one cyclist saw Ms Wall being "catapulted" through the air and heard her scream as she hit the ground. Mr Barr was dragged along the ground, while Mr Mills hit his face on the accused's car door. A witness reported seeing "bicycles strewn across the junction and a large cloud of dust," and McKelligott's car mounted on a nearby grass verge.

Speaking shortly after the collision Mr Barr, from Dundee, said the group was cycling along their weekly route.

"As we got to that junction I saw this car coming out of the corner of my eye," he said. "I just knew by the speed it was going that it was never ever stopping.

"Everything kind of went slow motion. I tried to veer left. I was at an angle when I went into the car, banged into it and then got carried on the car as it went right through the junction and up the other side of the road.

"When it stopped, I came off the bonnet and landed, and got another bang."

Ms Wall, from Invergowrie, said: "I got flung several metres through the air in the direction the car was travelling, so when I hit the ground I landed on my bottom then hit my left shoulder and the back of my head.

"The force of the fall went up through my spine and crushed two of my vertebrae." She said the crash was "horrendous timing" as it forced her to pull out of the Scottish Championships.

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