Man who smashed into mum as she saved her baby admits drink-driving

Hit-and-run driver who smashed into mother Becky Sharp as she pushed her baby’s pram to safety admits he was drunk behind the wheel – as she remains in hospital five months on

• Dave Clark crashed into Mrs Sharp in Bournemouth, Dorset, on April 11 

A hit-and-run driver who smashed into a mother as she pushed her baby’s pram to safety admitted today he was drunk behind the wheel – as she remains in hospital five months on.

Dale Clark, 38, was driving a Toyota RAV4 when he knocked down Becky Sharp as she was pushing her 11-month-old daughter in a pram towards a play park.

Clark fled the scene in Bournemouth, Dorset, at 9am on April 11 but was later picked up by police.

He admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop at an accident, but denied that he was drunk driving at the time of the crash, claiming he had drunk after the incident on Redhill Avenue.

Today he admitted being over the drink drive limit as his trial into the driving offence was due to start.

Becky Sharp was pushing her 11-month-old daughter in a pram towards a play park when she was suddenly hit

Dale Clark today admitted being over the drink drive limit as his trial into the driving offence was due to start 

The hero mother (pictured with her husband Dan) suffered severe head injuries in the incident 

Poole Magistrates Court heard Clark, of New Milton, Hants, had a reading of 46 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 35mcg.

READ MORE: Hero mother who was left fighting for life after she threw herself in front of a car to save her 11-month-old daughter from hit and run driver is out of a coma 

A second charge of drug driving was dismissed.

After the accident Mrs Sharp, a mother of three who is in her 30s, was airlifted to Southampton Hospital with life-threatening injuries including swelling on her brain, multiple breaks to the left side of her pelvis and injuries to her legs.

She was kept in an induced coma for eight weeks before she was woken up and still remains in hospital nearly five months after the accident.

Her baby thankfully suffered no injuries in the incident but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Husband Dan said in July: ‘After eight weeks of being in a coma Becky has now woken up and has begun to talk.

‘We are two months in to Becky’s recovery and I’m told it will take years.

‘However our worst fears of losing Becky in this accident have passed and I’m now able to see her eyes and talk to her once again.’

Her father Allan told MailOnline: ‘We are all just hoping and praying that she pulls through. She’s a brave fighter always has been, and she will want to be there for her three girls. She is a fantastic mum’. 

Husband Dan said that Becky has woken from the coma and is talking, although it will take years for her to recover

Mrs Sharp’s father said that his ‘fighter’ daughter will ‘want to be there for her three girls’

The terrifying collision happened in the Redhill area of Bournemouth, Dorset, at 9am on April 11 

The pram was also thrown into the air, but the baby was not harmed and taken to hospital as a precaution

Judge William Mousley delayed the sentencing on the more serious matters which Clark admitted in Bournemouth Crown Court on May 19 until the drink drive matter had been dealt with.

The case will now go back to the crown court for sentencing.

Clark has been remanded in custody and given an interim ban from driving until he is sentenced.

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