Elderly driver cancelled insurance before toddler died in crash

The hearing was shown dashcam footage of the accident. Xander’s parents left the courtroom before the video was played.

It showed the car accelerating quickly across the road before hitting the building and people nearby running to help.

Among them was office worker Clare Kavanagh, who helped Mrs Duncan out of the car.

She said Mrs Duncan “clearly had no idea what had happened” and “kept repeating she had new shoes which had slipped on the car pedals”.

She added: “It was quite eerie – she was quite calm. She was saying, ‘I just came out for a toaster or a kettle’.”

Witness Sally Phillips, who also worked in the office, said Mrs Duncan seemed detached” and “pretty emotionless”.

She said: “She was confused, she said she needed to get something out the boot, it was a toaster or a kettle.

“She was very confused about what had happened. At that point she didn’t know that she had hurt anybody. She was quite frail.”