Driver who saw motorcyclist before pulling out and causing fatal crash in Cambridgeshire spared jail

A driver who admitted seeing a motorcyclist before pulling out in front of him and causing a fatal crash has avoided jail.

Alicja Grabska, 65, hit Bradley Roberts as she pulled out of a junction on 31 January without stopping.

The 30-year-old father of two was pronounced dead at the scene in Littleport, Cambridgeshire.

During her interview, Grabska, of Dogwood Walk, RAF Lakenheath in Brandon, Suffolk, told police she had seen Mr Roberts but had thought she had enough time to pull out.

She pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and on Friday was handed eight months in prison, suspended for two years, at a hearing at Peterborough Crown Court.

She was also banned from driving for two years and ordered to complete 160 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Roberts' wife Chelsie said his death has left an "unimaginable hole' in the lives of their two five-year-old children.

She urged drivers to ensure they were fit to drive and knew the Highway Code.

"From someone who knows what it's like to live through the reality of the headlines, trust me, it's not worth the risk," she said.

"[Bradley] was our teacher, our support and a wonderful man who would stop at nothing to make us laugh.

"We've suffered with debilitating health conditions while trying to navigate the loss of our Brad and the trauma his death has made us face.

"While he was not at fault, the perceived belief that other road users will acknowledge the highway code lured him into a false sense of security."

Det Sgt Craig Wheeler, of Cambridgeshire Police, said he hoped the sentence would give the family some closure.

"This was a tragic case where a motorcyclist lost his life in a completely avoidable collision," he said.

"Grabska made the decision to pull out of a junction without stopping, despite claiming to have seen the motorcyclist. This decision cost Mr Roberts his life, leaving his wife and two young children without a husband and father."

He added: "I would like to remind all road users to 'think bike' and remain vigilant.

"Even one small lapse in judgement can have devastating consequences."

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