An elderly man has admitted carelessly driving an 11-tonne armoured military vehicle.

Former Territorial Army corporal Robert Shepherd, 68, wrote off a Vauxhall Astra after colliding with it in an ex-Army "tank" but was spared disqualification after a sheriff said he was too old to be banned.

Self-employed plumber Shepherd was peering through a hatch in the front of his 1954 Alvis Saracen armoured personnel carrier (APC) while a friend in the turret acted as "tank commander".

Shepherd allowed the six-wheel vehicle to veer onto the wrong side the road on a narrow bridge.

The APC's wheel arch stuck Amanda Ryan's Vauxhall, as the mother-of-two was trying to cross the bridge over the River Devon near Alva, Clackmannanshire, on her way to her boyfriend's.

Ms Ryan, 28, was showered with glass and had to be freed by firemen before she was taken to hospital with back injuries and later suffered a miscarriage.

Sheriff Eric Brown fined Shepherd £270 and added three points to his licence, bringing the total to 12, but did not ban him. The sheriff was not told of Ms Ryan's injuries or miscarriage.

Ms Ryan, who suffered muscle damage and expects to need painkillers for the rest of her life, said the decision was "a travesty". She said after the case: "I genuinely thought I was going to die and it's absurd he can just carry on."

Her car was later written off by insurers, while the Saracen was only slightly damaged. The incident occurred on the B908 near Alva, Clackmannanhire on a Saturday afternoon last August.

Shepherd was driving while a friend acted as "commander" kept watch out of the turret but overhanging foliage obscured the view of the "commander", who therefore did not warn Shepherd about Ms Ryan's car.

Prosecutor Adrian Fraser said: "The APC encroached onto the opposing carriageway, and as a result there was a collision between both vehicles.

"The position adopted by the accused's vehicle was such that there was not room for the two vehicles to pass. The Astra was hit by the wheel arch of the APC, which juts out."

Shepherd pled at Alloa Sheriff Court on Tuesday guilty to careless driving. Defence solicitor Jim Savage said there were "quite sharp bends" on the approach to the bridge, and Shepherd never exceeded 25mph.

He said: "The way this vehicle is driven is that the driver has a restricted view through a hatch, and there was a vehicle commander, in effect, on the top. His role is to be the eyes of the vehicle.

"He will, as the vehicle approaches difficult obstacles, indicate if the road is clear. The driver did receive an indication that the bridge was clear as he approached."

The lawyer said that any disqualification would be "devastating" for Shepherd, who would have to sack his sole employee.

Sheriff Brown said: "You are 68 and I accept that disqualification would be very significant for some at that stage of your career.

"I also take into account the impact it would have on your employee. I am satisfied that the circumstances are such that I can properly exercise my discretion in deciding not to disqualify you on a totting-up basis."