A 41-year-old woman has been sentenced to a two-year community order after admitting causing the death of a cyclist by careless driving. Tammie Morrall hit and killed 21-year-old Nicky Brinton as she drove on the wrong side of the road to pass parked cars in Harborne.
The Birmingham Mail reports that Brinton was riding with his brother and a friend at around 6.30pm on November 11 when Morrall, who was taking her daughter to a local Brownies meeting, overtook two parked cars in Gillhurst Road.
Brinton’s friend, Dave Green, said he became aware that the oncoming car was at the “wrong angle” and was heading towards them. Mitchell Brinton said he saw his brother brake hard to avoid hitting Green’s bike, only to fall off in front of Morrall’s car.
A collision investigator concluded that Morrall’s Ford Focus had been too far over on the opposite side of the road.
The court heard that all three riders had been wearing fluorescent clothing, and writing on Facebook shortly after the incident, Mitchell Brinton said all three were also riding with lights.
Sarah McCormack, defending, said: “It was a moment of inattention, over steering as she went past the parked cars that led to her being too far over. She has been completely traumatised by the consequences of that poor driving and will continue to be for ever.”
As well as the two-year community order, Morrall was banned from driving for 12 months, fined £250, and ordered to pay £185 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.