Pensioner who caused fatal A49 crash avoids jail after court hears her driving was careless but not dangerous

Elizabeth Pass admitted causing the death of Paul Hart by careless driving on the A49 at Prees Heath on May 18, 2023 when she 'didn't see' him and cut across his path in a Honda Jazz while turning right out of an unclassified side road.

She was given a suspended prison sentence at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Tuesday, after being found not guilty of the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving.

Mr Hart, riding on a red motorbike with a red jacket and within the speed limit at 55-60mph, had no chance to avoid crashing into the driver's side of Pass's car, which had pulled out 27m in front of him, the court heard. He had only 1.1 seconds to react, the court heard.

Tragically Mr Hart, from Whitchurch Road, Shrewsbury, died at the scene.

Pass, aged 77 and of Tilewright Close, Kidsgrove in Staffordshire, was cut out of the wreckage of her car which had been pushed around at a 45-degree angle by the force of the collision. Her daughter had also been in the car.

Prosecutors on Tuesday had set out to prove that the fact she had not seen the 65-year-old rider of the red Ducati meant it was dangerous rather than careless.

Two police officers, PC Simon Fearn and DC Ben Ward, who have more than 20 years of experience each of road collisions, both said they considered the case to be one of careless driving.

The court was told that Pass had stopped at the junction and had displayed no risk-taking associated with dangerous driving, such as overtaking at speed on a blind bend, the court heard.