A 74-year-old widow’s momentary lapse of concentration caused a collision in which a cyclist suffered life-changing injuries, a court was told.
Philip Holland was riding along Cemetery Road in Dereham on July 30, 2023, when Carol Weston pulled out of a junction in her Vauxhall Mokka, after failing to see either Mr Holland or his son, who was riding ahead of him.
Weston, of the Common, Lyng, near Dereham, admitted causing serious injury by careless driving when she appeared before King’s Lynn magistrates.
JPs were informed that Mr. Holland, a Dereham resident in his 50s, attempted to swerve but struck Weston’s vehicle instead.
The contact sent Mr. Holland soaring into the air, breaking his neck when he landed on his head, according to prosecutor Paul Brown.
According to Mr. Brown, Mr. Holland and his son would have been noticeable from a distance because they both had flashing lights on their bikes and white cycling helmets.
In a victim statement presented in court, Mr. Holland said he was worn out from daily duties and had to relearn how to walk and write.
Due to his injuries, he was unable to engage in his previous activities, which included riding, hiking, and attending to the gym.
“My and my family’s lives have been changed forever by this incident,” he stated.
Speaking on behalf of Weston, Tom Day expressed her “extraordinarily sorry” for Mr. Holland’s injuries.
He indicated that “a momentary lapse of concentration” was what caused the crash, and she was baffled as to why she had missed Mr. Holland.
Her “unblemished character” was highlighted by him, since she had driven for 51 years without receiving any points on her licence or getting in an accident.
Chairman of the bench Alan Lusher described Weston’s sentencing as “an extraordinary case”.
“It was clearly an unsafe manoeuvre, but not intentional,” he stated.
Weston received a two-year suspended sentence of twelve weeks in prison.
In addition, a £154 victim surcharge, £145 in costs, and a two-year driving prohibition were imposed upon her.
