THE family of a woman killed in a head-on crash have hit out at the punishment given to the driver who caused her death.

Grandmother, Joyce Frigot, 61, of Christchurch, died in June on the A35 near Holmsley in the New Forest.

Now the man who caused the collision, Nigel Bath-Smith, has been given a three-year driving ban by magistrates at Southampton.

He was also given a six-month community order, a 7pm to 7am curfew for two months and an £85 fine.

Bath-Smith, 53 of Thornbury Avenue, Blackfield, Southampton, admitted causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Mrs Frigot, of Somerford, was driving to Ikea in her red Vauxhall Astra with daughter Sandra and Bath-Smith was coming the other way on the morning of Sunday, June 17.

Mrs Frigot’s brother, Brian Voller told the Daily Echo: “We are devastated by what he got. It’s derisory. None of us thinks the punishment fits the crime.”

Mr Voller, 69 of Beacon Drive, Highcliffe, said he would be writing a letter of complaint to the Crown Prosecution Service “I’d like to know what the magistrate was thinking. I know that no-one gets into their car and sets out to deliberately kill someone, but nevertheless this hardly seems like justice.”

Paying tribute to Joyce, he added: “She was not only a good sister, she was a great friend too. She used to help look after my wife and she was an incredibly thoughtful person. If you needed anything she was always there.”

Mr Voller said Joyce’s husband Denis, of Slinn Road, Somerford, had been in tears over the sentence when he saw him on Sunday morning.

“He lost a brother, a sister, his son-in-law and his wife all this year. He has had an awful time of it.”

Mr Frigot and his children went to the court on Friday to hear the result.

“They felt badly let down,” said Mr Voller.