Solihull mum killed disabled woman in mobility scooter after split-second driving mistake

A mother has been spared jailed after she killed a disabled woman in a mobility scooter in a crash. Karen Lynch, 65, made a split-second mistake by driving her Nissan Qashqai into the back of a Hyundai i20 on Bosworth Drive in Chelmsley Wood, Solihull, on the afternoon of Saturday, October 1, 2022.

The impact caused her car to ricochet onto the pavement and strike Julia Relph. The 54-year-old suffered fatal injuries after being knocked from her scooter and left trapped under the Qashqai, which itself came to rest in a hedge.

Tragically, the two women knew each other. Lynch, of Bosworth Drive, admitted a charge of causing death by careless driving. At Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, November 12, she was sentenced to six-and-a-half months, suspended for 18 months, as well as an 18-month driving ban.

READ MORE: Corrupt Birmingham Pc's pack of lies about crook boyfriend she claimed 'ruined my life'

Judge Kerry Mayln said: "My job is to pass a sentence that is commensurate with the seriousness of the offending which is careless driving. It was unfortunately the catastrophic consequence of that careless driving that meant Julia died. It is not a reflection on the value of her life to all of those who loved her."

The accident happened near the entrance to Asda at Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre. Prosecutor Tom Walkling said Lynch had been travelling slightly faster than the Hyundai in front, but she was not speeding. He said: "The collision caused the defendant's Qashqai to deflect onto the footpath where it collided with the deceased Julia Relph, who was riding a mobility scooter in the opposite direction on the pavement."

The driver of the stricken Hyundai recalled seeing the mobility scooter being pushed into the air and the Qashqai hit a hedge. He described Lynch as being in a 'panic' and state of shock when a witness approached her.

A pathologist concluded Miss Relph's cause of death was multiple injuries caused by blunt force trauma as a result of the collision. In a statement her brother Paul Earp said he and his mother had been left heartbroken at the loss.

He said Julia, who had Spina bifida and used a wheelchair all of her life, was a 'special person' who always saw the good in people and never let her disability get her down. Lynch had a previously clean driving licence.

Sharon Bailey, defending, told the court she had given up driving since the incident two years ago, not withstanding an interim ban which was imposed. She said: "Ms Lynch has punished herself probably more than anything the court could do.

"She is acutely aware of the pain and distress caused to the deceased's family. They were known to one another. The family of the deceased had some contact with her family. That is clearly something that weighs on her very heavily."

She said since the accident Lynch had become 'withdrawn' and spent a lot of her time on her own, adding she was very remorseful. Judge Maylin concluded she was in an 'unsafe position' in the road but said: "I also take into account it was mere seconds and the consequences, although catastrophic, your standard of driving was only just above the threshold for careless driving despite the fact you were in an unsafe position."

She also paid tribute to Miss Relph, adding: "She clearly was a remarkable and tenacious woman who saw good in people around her, loved and valued her family and was clearly and all-round good egg. She was a bright, happy and good person."

Lynch must carry out 25 days of rehabilitation activity as part of her sentence.