A YOUNG mum caused thousands of pounds of damage to a toy shop when her car ploughed through the front window.
Nicole Busuttil was behind the wheel in a pair of slippers when she careered into Applebee's electrical store and toy shop, in Wollaton Road, Beeston.
She ran off, leaving the red Ford Fiesta embedded in the front of the shop.
Police caught up with her the following day.
She was charged with dangerous driving and failing to stop after the accident at 4.30pm on February 11.
Yesterday, the 22-year-old mother-of-one, of Rathvale Court, Beeston, was sentenced after admitting the charges at a previous hearing.
She was banned from driving for one year, ordered to take an enhanced driving course and received six months in prison, suspended for one year.
Judge Michael Stokes QC told her at Nottingham Crown Court: "No one would sensibly drive any vehicle in this particular area, full as it was with pedestrians, at the speed you were doing.
"You didn't help yourself by trying to disappear afterwards."
The court heard Busuttil has seven previous convictions for 12 offences, mostly for violence and public order offences.
On this occasion she was driving at 37mph on a road with a 30mph limit with two others in her car.
She was struggling to control the vehicle when she hit the kerb and veered into the window. The car was a write-off.
The shop's owner, Jeff Graham, said today that he was at the back of the shop at the time and heard a huge bang, glass smash and felt the building trembling.
He added: "There could have been a small family looking through the window at the toys and she could have killed them or badly injured them all."
The repair bill ran to £4,000.
Mr Graham is the third generation of his family to run the business, which has been in the town for 94 years.
Despite the damage caused by Busuttil, he was open for business the following day.
Applebee's is next to the main pedestrian crossing, connecting High Road to Beeston Square and the pavement was busy with shoppers.
Busuttil had been giving a lift to friend, knew the road well and was going a short distance.
She said she believed she blacked out and could not remember the crash.
Her driving was dangerous on the basis of speed and inexperience.
After the hearing, the Post tried to speak with Busuttil at her flat but she refused to comment.
