Forgiving widower spares crash mum
A MOTHER who caused a head-on crash was spared jail after the grieving driver of the car she hit forgave her “big mistake”.
Nicola Holford was driving home with her two children in her Kia SUV when she tried to overtake a tractor and trailer on a blind bend on the A50 near Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, in March last year.
The finance worker ploughed into a Honda CRV driven by Tony Worrall. His front seat passenger, wife Carolyn, was seriously hurt and had to be cut from the debris, Chester Crown Court heard.
Dangerous
Mrs Worrall, 75, made a full recovery but died five months later from an unrelated aneurism.
Holford, 37, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving but walked free with an 18-month suspended sentence after Mr Worrall declined to make a witness impact statement.
He forgave her and bore her “no ill will”.
The court heard that the crash and Mrs Worrall’s fatal aneurism were not linked. Joanne Moore, prosecuting, had said: “Two other vehicles had overtaken the tractor on a straight stretch.
“The defendant then also tried to overtake after them. Mr Worrall described seeing the tractor ahead on the opposite side... then suddenly saw the lights of the defendant’s vehicle in front.” Miss Moore said Mrs Worrall was in hospital for six days but her husband declined to give an impact statement: “He said the defendant had made a big mistake but he bore no ill will. He did not want to be reminded of the collision.” Holford, below, of Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, was banned from driving for two years and will need to pass an extended test. She also has to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. Judge Michael Leeming said she made a serious misjudgment but added: “Your remorse towards the victim is genuine.”