'Careless' HGV driver who killed nurse on M6 to serve 17 weeks

Robert Ward, 55, pleaded guilty two days into his trial for causing death by careless driving at Wolverhampton Crown Court after killing the 41-year-old nurse .

Before sentencing Ward to 34 weeks imprisonment, which he will only have to serve half before being released, Judge John Butterfield heard victim impact statements from Victoria's two children.

Katrina said: "She always used to say goodbye before she left the house, so I got to say goodbye, but the next day when she was not there I was so lonely.

"We were so happy together, she never missed an event in my life. She always went on about how much she wanted to be a grandchildren.

"She will not get to be at my wedding, I wanted to walk her down the aisle whenever I get married.

"And when I have children and they ask about their grandmother it will break my heart. I wish she was still here so much."

Daniel said: "After mum died the house has been so quiet without her laughter, I feel so lonely. We were told we would lose the house we were living in because mum's name was on all the documents. We had to fight to stay.

"I have had to grow up very quickly and learn all the stuff an adult needs to do without my mum."

He added: "I never got to tell her goodbye, I wish I had told her I loved her more. Mum used to do a ton for us, we were struggling for money before she died and I did not know all the bills that had to be paid.

"I miss her so much."

Ward's HGV ploughed into Victoria's Citroen as she waited to exit the M6 at junction ten for Walsall, he had been driving too close to the vehicle in front when he switched lanes to also exit the motorway.

His lorry did not have time to stop and hit her car at 18mph crushing it against another HGV in front.

Simon Williams, representing Ward, said: "My client wishes he could turn back the clock. He said he could never envisage in his life being responsible for something like this.

"He relives what happened every day and at the centre of those thoughts is the impact on Daniel and Katrina. His son described him as "an emotional wreck" for two weeks after what happened."

He added: "He wanted to apologise and will have to live with this for the rest of his life."

Judge John Butterfield sentenced Ward, of Croft Street, Willenhall, to 34 weeks in prison and imposed a 12 month driving ban on his release.

He said: "This court is bound by the sentence guidelines put in place. I sentence you to 34 weeks, you will serve half of this and then be released on license.

"This should have been a normal day of commuting for Victoria Kavanagh. But you were driving too close to the vehicle in front before moving lane.

"Whilst being interviewed by the police afterwards you said you were looking at the gantry signs above the motorway, however, as we heard they did warn there was traffic ahead.

"You did enter a guilty plea but you only get minimum credit for that as it was so late. We have heard the victim statements. This sentence could be suspended but I feel this should be an immediate custodial sentence."