Teen in court after hit and run

Ashleigh Scott. Photo / Supplied

An 18-year-old has appeared in court accused of being the driver in a hit-and-run which left a young woman with serious head injuries.

Rhys Paterson was also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by asking a friend to make a false statement to police. The friend is understood to be his girlfriend, who was allegedly the passenger at the time of the crash.

Ashleigh Scott, 18, was this week recovering at a rehabilitation facility from the crash which saw her flung into the air and land on her head. She had been standing outside a party in the East Auckland suburb of Bucklands Beach about 11.20pm on February 18.

Paterson appeared in Manukau District Court this week charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, failing to stop at the scene of an injury-causing accident and causing bodily harm by driving carelessly while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. He had earlier been charged with driving while disqualified.

He did not enter a plea and was remanded on bail to reappear on April 13. He will have to enter a plea at his next appearance.

Ashleigh's father, Mike Scott, said his daughter was making slow progress. She had been discharged from hospital and is walking: "The words she does speak is that she is scared," he said.

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