Woman, 26, cleared over fatal smash

A woman accused of causing a fatal crash by careless driving walked free after being cleared by jurors. Kylie Jones broke down in tears yesterday as she was acquitted over the death of Kathleen Radford from Cannock.

The 72-year-old great-grandmother was a well-known former social club landlady. She suffered fatal injuries when she was struck by Jones's Audi in February last year.

The accident happened just yards from Jones's home in John Street, Wimblebury, and round the corner from Mrs Radford's home.

Mrs Radford was on her way home from visiting her son David, who also lives in John Street, and was crossing the road as Jones's Audi hit her. Jones, aged 26, later told police: "I did everything I could to avoid hitting that lady.

"When I saw her, she was already in the road. If there was anything else I could have done to avoid hitting her, I would have done it."

The jury at Stafford Crown Court heard ones had only gone out in her car on the night of the fatal accident because her husband-to-be had locked his keys in his car at work and she had gone to take him the spare set.

There was no evidence that she was driving in excess of the 30mph speed limit. She denied causing Mrs Radford's death by careless driving.