A DRIVER from Grange-over-Sands who admitted causing death by driving without due care and attention has today (January 24) been convicted and sentenced.

Janet Jackson, 79, admitted the offence and was sentenced by the district judge sitting at Barrow Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that Jackson had been driving her Citroen Picasso on the A5074 at 2pm on September 2, 2016 when she came to the junction with the A590 at Gilpin Bridge. She was intending to travel westbound by crossing both lanes of the eastbound carriageway and then using the central reservation turning area.

However, a Triumph Tiger motorcycle being ridden on the eastbound carriageway on the A590 collided into the side of her car as it crossed the carriageway. The rider was a Dr Christopher Lightfoot, from the Bristol area, who had been working in Barrow.

Mr Lightfoot was taken to Preston Hospital but died on September 6, 2016 from his injuries.

In her police interview, Jackson told officers she thought she had enough time and space to make the manoeuvre safely but made an error of judgement.

Sergeant Martin Smith said: “Whilst there was absolutely no malice on behalf of Mrs Jackson, her failure to judge the situation accurately resulted in her being responsible for this fatal collision."

Jackson was sentenced to a 12-month community order and 100 hours of unpaid work.

She was also disqualified from driving for 15 months. However, she voluntarily surrendered her driving licence following the incident.