80-year-old woman fined over crash that killed friend

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that Maire Gibson, of  Wrexham Road, Bulkeley in Cheshire, had been driving her friend Beryl Moss, 81, back from at the Chestnut Meats café on 9 October 2019.

Mrs Moss was a front seat passenger in the blue Honda Jeep-style car. At around 2.50pm she pulled out into the flow of oncoming traffic to turn right from Long Lane onto the A534 Wrexham Road at Burland in Cheshire.

It is known as a difficult junction but the weather was fine and it was a bright day. Witnesses reported seeing Mrs Gibson pull out in what appeared to be a hesitant manner, stop then continue to turn right.

Unfortunately her car was hit by an oncoming lorry. Mrs Gibson suffered several broken ribs in the incident and Mrs Moss suffered several serious injuries. She died a week later.

The investigation showed the lorry had been driven within the speed limit for the road. However, officers said Mrs Gibson appeared to have misjudged the speed that the lorry was travelling at and the distance from her car.

Mrs Gibson was taken by air ambulance to hospital and was interviewed by police officers. She pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving at Crewe Magistrates Court on 8 December 2020.
 

At the same court today (23 December), Mrs Gibson was sentenced to a fine of £1600 as a direct alternative to a community-based penalty. Her licence was endorsed and disqualified from driving for 12 months. She will also have to complete a re-test before she is able to obtain a full driving licence.
 

Senior Crown Prosecutor Adam Till said: "This is a terribly sad case where a chance event on this day has destroyed two lives and the lives of their families.
 

"Ms Gibson and Ms Moss were neighbours and had been close friends for many years. Indeed the family of Ms Moss said Ms Gibson’s friendship made a big difference to Ms Moss’s quality of life.
 

"The lorry driver involved in the incident has spoken of the dreadful impact on him of what happened on that day and the consequences will no doubt haunt Ms Gibson for the rest of her life."