Joan Barwick, 95, was driving her Vauxhall Corsa when she struck grandmother Linda Wareham, 78, who was walking her dog — the court heard Barwick was distracted by a free disabled parking space outside a Tesco Express
A 95 year old woman thought to be Britain’s oldest female killer driver has avoided prison after mowing down a pensioner while attempting to park in a disabled bay.
Joan Barwick was manoeuvring her Vauxhall Corsa into a petrol station forecourt when she struck grandmother Linda Wareham, 78, who was walking her dog on April 17 last year. A court heard Mrs Wareham succumbed to “catastrophic head injuries” in hospital the next day following the collision, which occurred at approximately 4pm on Hagley Road, Stourbridge, West Midlands.
Joan, of Wollescote, West Midlands, had earlier admitted causing death by dangerous driving and received a 16 month suspended sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday April 24, reports the Mirror.
Joan, who attended court today dressed in a purple cardigan, a floral blouse and clutching a black walking stick, was also banned from driving for 10 years. The court was told Joan, who was 94 at the time, “had not been looking in front of her” after spotting a disabled parking space outside a Tesco Express.
Tim Harrington, prosecuting, said: “She was looking not at what was in front of her but at a disabled parking space that was free. She did not see Mrs Wareham – she had seven seconds to see her but did not.
Mr Harrington said Joan had slowed to around 10mph and was turning right into the garage.” He added: “If she seen Mrs Wareham she would have been able to stop and that is the tragedy of this case.” In his sentencing remarks, Judge Michael Chambers KC referred to the incident as a “momentary failure” of concentration.
He stated: “Whilst you were turning into a petrol station forecourt you struck Mrs Wareham who was walking with her dog along the pavement which would’ve crossed that entrance. You struck her with your vehicle and she would’ve suffered fatal injuries. The incident is recorded on CCTV and is graphic.
“As you turned she was fatally hit. I am satisfied that Mrs Wareham is entirely blameless. She was entitled to expect you to stop and respect that she had right of way on the pavement. Mrs Wareham had lived a fine life and could’ve lived significantly longer. This was a momentary failure to keep a proper lookout to where you were driving.
“The crown accepts that you were not paying proper attention as you should’ve done and drove dangerously into a passing person who had the right of way. You were simply not looking in front of you, instead looking towards an available parking place. You had seven seconds in which, had you seen her, had time to stop. Yet you drove on. The dangerousness is put on the basis of an error of judgement of what was in front of you.”
The court was told the pensioner possessed an “unblemished driving record”, had no prior convictions and remained deemed fit to drive. The judge stated: “You have a good driving record. The crown accept that in January prior to this offence you reapplied for your license, it was accepted and your eyesight was deemed suitable to keep on driving.
“I also accept that you have genuine remorse. I need to consider the relevance of age in this case, you are now 95-years-old. It’s obvious an immediate sentence would have a significant impact upon you.
“There is strong personal mitigation. Not least that you have no previous convictions at the age of 95, you have shown remorse, have pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and have lived a good and productive life. For all those reasons I am persuaded that the sentence can be suspended.”