A driver who nearly hit a parent and young child when he failed to stop at a school crossing has been fined.

Ethelbert Obi, of Bramble Croft, Erith, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and failing to stop for a school crossing patrol.

Obi, 34, drove past a lollipop man operating in Lower Road, Belvedere, while the patrol was in the middle of the road and clearly displaying his stop sign.

Obi narrowly missed hitting a parent and child who were crossing the road and hit the stop sign as he drove away without stopping.

A Bexley magistrate told Obi: "You are lucky I am not disqualifying you. A serious aggravating factor in this case is the fact that you were driving in a region of a school.”

He was fined £400 on August 17 and ordered to pay a £40 surcharge and £85 costs, with eight points put on his licence.

Councillor Alex Sawyer, Bexley cabinet member for traffic and transport, said: “Our school crossing patrols do a fantastic job at helping to keep Bexley’s children safe on their way to and from school.

"I am pleased the judge has recognised the importance of keeping our staff safe as well as the people they are there to help.

“We recently ran a Stop Means Stop campaign to highlight the need for drivers to stop and remain stationary when our patrols are displaying their stop signs to oncoming traffic.

"Hopefully this prosecution will make other drivers think twice about not stopping when required by a lollipop person.”