A driver whose actions on 20th February 2023 led to the serious injury of a four-year-old girl has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment and given a 20-month driving disqualification.
48-year-old Jolanta Motiejuniene, of Lesley Street, Port Talbot was found guilty of causing serious injury by careless driving following a trial, and was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, 26th September 2025.
Motiejuniene was conducting charity collections on 20th February 2023 in Waun Burgess, Carmarthen, driving a Mercedes Sprinter van, when the serious collision occurred shortly after 11am.
The then four-year-old girl was on a balance bike on the estate, when the van driven by Motiejuniene collided with her, causing her to sustain life threatening injuries, which she is continuing to recover from.
Motiejuniene was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment and banned from driving for 20 months.
The child’s family said: “Two years ago our lives were turned upside down due to the injuries caused to our beautiful daughter. We have witnessed and suffered trauma that no parent should go through, trauma which could have been avoided if the driver was simply looking where she was going.
“We are forever grateful to the Crown Court Judge, Jury, Prosecution Barrister and Dyfed-Powys Police for getting our daughter the justice she deserves. Our thanks also go to the NHS staff at Glangwili and Noah’s Ark hospitals, the Air Ambulance crew, our daughter’s physiotherapists and our family and friends whose love, support and care has helped us through an extremely worrying and traumatic couple of years.”
PC Lucy Peppiatt, from Dyfed-Powys Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “We welcome the sentencing of Motiejuniene, whose careless driving on that day led to the serious injury of a very young child, in an avoidable collision.
“This sentence goes some way to seeing justice done, and we also hope it serves as a stark reminder to drivers of the serious consequences of driving in a careless and thoughtless manner – putting vulnerable pedestrians at risk.”
