'Preoccupied' Hull nurse who killed grandad as she drove home spared jail

A "preoccupied" nurse who killed a man trimming his hedge outside his home as she drove home from an appointment has been spared jail.

Joanne Robinson had been to a "distressing" assessment with a man suffering from multiple sclerosis on 27 June last year and was driving home when she mounted a pavement and collided with Gary Lightoller, a retired docks foreman.

The 66-year-old grandfather had been cutting his hedge outside his home on the A165 Ganstead Lane in Bilton, Hull.

The impact of the collision threw him into the air, causing him to land heavily on a brick pillar.

Despite the efforts of passers-by and paramedics, he died at the scene.

Hull Crown Court heard that Robinson, 56, of Rosedale Avenue, east Hull, had a "momentary lapse of concentration" that led to her car hitting Mr Lightoller from behind.

She admitted causing the death of Mr Lightoller by dangerous driving.

Robert Stevenson, prosecuting, said Robinson had been working as a multiple sclerosis nurse and was returning from a visit to a residential and dementia home in Bridlington, where she had met a seriously ill man for a pre-arranged assessment.On the way back, she drove at one point at just over 30mph in a 60mph area. A taxi driver who saw her said he could not see any reason for her doing this.

"There is a sweeping right-hand bend," said Mr Stevenson. "At the edge of the road is a mixture of raised and dropped kerbs at the point of the driveways, with boundary walls and hedges bordering the residential properties."Mr Lightoller had a hedge trimmer with him when Robinson's car mounted the kerb. She tried to control the car and bring it back on to the road, steering to the right and to the left, but could not avoid hitting Mr Lightoller.Robinson looked "shellshocked" and later said: "He just came out of nowhere. It happened so quick."

The court heard she was screaming hysterically and said: "What have I done?" She said she should have slammed on her brakes.

Paramedics arrived quickly, but Mr Lightoller died at the scene at 4.56pm."She said that she did not know what happened and did not know if she had what she described as a 'moment' or a 'lapse'," Mr Stevenson said.

"She did not think that, at the time, she needed to pull over but accepted that it was possible that her mind was elsewhere or she was distracted. She was very upset. She accepted that it was her fault."In a family statement Mr Lightoller's wife, Patricia, said he was a "doting grandad" and that his four grandchildren "worshipped the ground he walked upon".

He had been "looking forward to travelling the world" with his wife in his retirement.Mr Lightoller's daughter, Emma, said the family "lost everything" when he was killed and that the pain of their loss was present "morning, noon and night".

She said it was "torture" to pass where he died.She added: "Our lives have been destroyed. There's not a minute that goes by that our Dad is not in the forefront of our minds."Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said Robinson, who had no previous convictions, had expressed genuine remorse and feelings of guilt, and accepted responsibility for her actions.

She said: "She does not seek to minimise what happened.

"She has been traumatised by what happened and by the consequences of her actions and the impact that this has had on Mr Lightoller's family and her own family and friends."This does appear to have been, albeit devastating, a momentary lapse of concentration."Robinson had written a letter saying: "There will never be enough words to express how truly sorry I am."

She said: "It is on my mind night and day."I am truly devastated and ashamed, but my pain that I carry is nothing compared to the loss of a loved one.

"Nothing will ever be the same again."Judge Mark Bury told Robinson: "No sentence this court imposes can restore Gary Lightoller to life. He leaves a great void in many people's lives."He said: "You were simply preoccupied with that visit on your way home."Mr Lightoller could do nothing. He was walking away from you and did not see you coming and could take no evasive action.

"Your collision caused him to fall heavily against a brick pillar and he could not survive that."You were remorseful and upset at the scene and you have been ever since. You are a nurse and a caring one, at that."

A reference described Robinson as the kindest person that they had met. Her boss for her work as a multiple sclerosis nurse described her as a "great asset" and a gentle, patient, and kind person.

She was given a 16-month suspended prison sentence and 200 hours' unpaid work and was banned from driving for two years.

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