A FORMER childminder found guilty of running over and killing a Bexleyheath pensioner in Bluewater car park has been slammed by her own father.

News Shopper reported in May how a jury took just 20 minutes to find Dawn Chedd, 50, of Cranleigh Drive, Swanley, guilty of causing the death of 71-year-old Claire Bishop by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Chedd denied the charge and members of Mrs Bishop’s family sat through a one-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

Her 76-year-old father Ted, who lives in Bexley, has told News Shopper how he begged his daughter to plead guilty to the charge and avoid putting the victim’s family through the trial.

The former police traffic control officer said: "What she should have done is pleaded guilty at magistrates court and dealt with it then.

"She might have had to go to crown court for sentencing but at least Mrs Bishop’s family would not have been put through this.

"My daughter should have been begging forgiveness, there was no way that she could not plead guilty and not be found guilty."

Chedd left the handbrake off her automatic Vauxhall Zafira when she was in Bluewater car park on January 4 last year.

While the car was still in reverse gear it reversed from the bay at a speed of between 15 and 20mph in a tight arc, colliding with four parked vehicles before it ran over Mrs Bishop, who lived in Romney Gardens.

The driver’s door was open at the time and Chedd ended up face-down on the floor having fallen from the driver’s seat.

Ted says he feels "embarrassed" and says he wanted to attend Dartford Magistrates Court with his daughter at her first hearing and tell the court she was pleading guilty.

He added: "I feel so sorry for Mrs Bishop’s family. I tried everything I could to shorten this for them and to make her plead guilty and throw herself at the mercy of the court.

"I have seen in the past what happens. To put the family through all that court at Maidstone, I found it unbelievable.

"I’m hoping this will be a wakeup call on Monday (JULY 15). She is still blaming everyone else but herself."

Chedd will be sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court.