Man, 80, banned from road after killing woman pedestrian

AN 80-year-old man was banned from driving after killing a woman as she crossed the road.

Joseph Curley was driving in Clarence Place in Newport on March 23 last year when he hit Pamela Lancaster, who had been crossing the road at the time after a van stopped to let her across.

Curley was travelling at 41mph after driving through traffic-lights on amber. He undertook the van and hit 47-year-old Ms Lancaster.

She suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and died in hospital on March 28.

Curley, of St Mary Street in Newport, admitted causing death by careless driving at Newport Crown Court on January 29.

He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.

Curley was disqualified from driving for three years with a requirement for an extended retest and a curfew between 8pm and 6am.

Kelly Huggins, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “Joseph Curley hit Ms Lancaster with his car, causing devastating injuries. She died five days later in hospital.

“Prosecutors showed that the way Curley was driving was careless – having driven through traffic-lights on amber and was undertaking a van. Evidence put forward by the CPS gave him no choice but to plead guilty to the offence. Our thoughts are with Ms Lancaster’s family and friends.”