Coniston Hotel boss goes on trial accused of killing bride's mum outside reception

A hotel boss knocked down and killed the mother of the bride outside the reception venue the night before her daughter's wedding, a court has heard.

Judith Wadsworth was bringing items from the car park into the Coniston Hotel and Spa, near Skipton, when she was hit by Nicholas Bannister's Range Rover in February 2020.

Mr Bannister, 64, is on trial at Bradford Crown Court accused of causing death by careless driving. He denies the offence.

The jury heard that Mrs Wadsworth, 66, arrived at the hotel, where Mr Bannister was the managing director, on 7 February 2020. The wedding was due to take place the following day.

Prosecutor Michael Smith KC said: "The party was in reception and, in the usual way people do when they arrive to a hotel, people were bringing things into reception and Judith Wadsworth was bringing items in for her daughter from the car park into the reception area."

Mr Bannister left the reception to run an errand in his car.

Mr Smith said: "As he drove to the spa complex of the hotel, he knocked Judith Wadsworth over, unhappily, killing her.

"It's the prosecution's case that in the immediate aftermath of the collision the defendant repeatedly said, 'I didn't see her'."

The court heard Mr Bannister drove on for about 20 metres after the collision, before a sound under the car caused him to stop.

He did not realise what had happened until he was told by another driver, Mr Smith said.

He said: "What's at the heart of this case is whether the defendant was driving with due care and attention as he drove his Range Rover around his hotel complex.

"It's the prosecution's case the fact he didn't see a pedestrian who was crossing back into reception across a pedestrian walkway, the fact he didn't see her at all, even when he collided with her, was evidence he was driving carelessly.

"The defendant doesn't accept that assertion. The defence's case was he was not careless, that what occurred was an unfortunate accident, that he took care to perform the correct manoeuvre."

He was travelling at an estimated speed of 9-12mph at the time of the incident, the court heard.

The trial continues.

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