Death crash driver banned for 18 months after 'momentary lapse in concentration'

BMW driver Deborah Monk, aged 59, caused the death of 83-year-old Iris Hall following a 'momentary lapse in concentration' in Chester Road, Stonnall.

Mrs Hall and her husband Louis were travelling in their Fiat Punto along the road on August 18 last year when they were struck at Lazy Hill Road junction.

Front passenger Mrs Hall was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital with severe chest injuries, but the retired cleaner died four days later with her devastated family at her bedside.

Mr Hall, a retired tool setter, was also taken to hospital, but recovered.

Monk previously admitted an offence of causing death by careless driving.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, she was given an 18-month driving ban, 12-month community order, 150 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £500 costs.

Mr Alex Warren, prosecuting, said that the collision was caused by the defendant's 'momentary inattention' to the road.

He said the accident happened at a straight section of Chester Road that was a single carriageway with a speed limit of 50mph and that Monk, of nearby Main Street, Stonnall, should have seen the Punto that was travelling at between 36 to 38mph.

"The defendant pulled out and attempted to cross Chester Road. The police reconstruction evidence suggests that the Fiat Punto would have been 50 metres to the left of the junction at the time. Mr Hall had no time to brake and wasn't able to swerve from the defendant because there was another car, a Fiat 500, waiting to turn to his left onto Chester Road," Mr Warren said.

The BMW struck the Punto which was forced into the waiting Fiat 500.

Mr Warren said when Monk was interviewed by officers she could not offer an explanation as to why she failed to see the Punto.

Defending barrister Mr Tim Pole said Monk had 42 years experience on the road.

"The effects are ongoing and will remain with her for the rest of her life. It is the last thing she thinks of at night and the first thing she thinks of when she wakes up in the morning," Mr Pole said.

In their impact statement read out in court, Mrs Hall's daughter Sarah and son Stephen said the crash had devastated their lives and that their parents of Hook Drive in Sutton Coldfield, had been married for 61 years.

After the sentencing they said they were 'disappointed' with the length of Monk's road ban.

"We also want to express that she has never said sorry to us for what happened," the family stated.