AN ELDERLY driver who knocked down and fatally injured another pensioner who was crossing the road had been repeatedly warned by her GP to stop driving on health grounds, a court has heard.

June Cox, aged 80, admitted causing death by careless driving at a Poole Magistrates’ Court hearing yesterday.

She was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and banned from driving for five years.

The court heard how at 5pm, November 23, last year, Cox was driving a Honda car along New Road, Northbourne, Bournemouth, when she struck 83-year-old Pamela Wilde, who was crossing using her walking frame.

Miss Wilde, a mother of four, died of head and chest injuries later in hospital.

Her neighbours have since campaigned for road safety improvements on New Road.

Andrew Bousfield, prosecuting, said the victim “fell into the windshield, smashed the windshield then was catapulted further into the road.”

Mr Bousfield also said Mrs Cox had been advised to stop driving by her GP on numerous occasions in the 6-9 months prior to the accident. Cox told officers at the scene that she didn’t like to drive at night and she’d been on the way to her hairdressers.

The court heard how Cox, who appeared in court in a wheelchair after breaking her hip after the accident, had become increasingly unsteady on her feet in the months leading up to the collision and had suffered numerous falls.

Holly Huxtable, defending, said Cox wanted to sincerely apologise to the family of Mrs Wilde, who did not attend court.

“This is something Mrs Cox will have to live with for the rest of her life,” said Miss Huxtable. “She tells me she replays that moment in her mind and knows many people have suffered grief in this case.”

Police crash investigators concluded Cox would have been driving between 17-21 mph when the collision occurred.

Miss Huxtable said: “I would suggest there was a momentary lapse of concentration on the part of Mrs Cox, a momentary lapse that will be with her forever.”

A victim impact statement from Miss Wilde’s daughter, Linda Witted, was read to court. It said: “ We feel this wasn’t her time, she was taken away too early from us.”

Sentencing, District Judge Nichols said: “Your own GP had on a number of occasions warned you, you should not have been driving. You didn’t take heed of that advice and continued to drive.”

Under current legislation it is the drivers responsibility to inform the DVLA of any pre-existing medical conditions that could impair ability to drive, police say.