A WOMAN who was a pillar of her local community is facing jail after she admitted causing the death of a 21-year-old in an accident on the A64.

Former cub leader and school worker Sally Mills, 50, wept in court as she admitted causing the death of moped rider Robert Crick, whose family she knew, while she was driving a Mitsubishi Delicia.

Tragedy struck two days before last Christmas at 7.50am as Mr Crick, from Rillington, was riding along the A64, near West Knapton. Mills was waiting to pull onto the carriageway from a slip road on her way to work and the court heard she looked both ways but failed to spot Mr Crick, even though he had his head light on.

York Press:

Robert Crick, who died in the accident. Picture supplied by family.

She pulled out from the give way and the moped hit the side of the vehicle, Scarborough magistrates were told. Mr Crick was airlifted to James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough, where he died.

A police accident report blamed Mills for failing to spot the moped, failing to give way, and pulling into the path of Mr Crick, who had no chance to avoid the accident, said prosecutor David Ward.

He added: "The Crown say it was not a momentary lapse of judgment. It was someone pulling out at a junction who had a duty to ensure the road was clear."

Ed Cunnah, mitigating, said Mr Crick's headlight may have merged with some of the other oncoming vehicles travelling behind him so Mills did not see him on the dark unlit road.

He added: "My client knows the family of the deceased. One of her children went to school with his brother. She has worked at primary schools where the deceased and his brother both went. This is a tragedy which has hit her hard.

"She has been driving for 30 years and has never been prosecuted for anything before today. She and her husband have been together for 30 years. They have had to move house because she simply cannot stand passing the scene of the accident.

"She has not driven since and can't envisage driving a motor vehicle for a long, long time - possibly ever. She has been part of a village. She was a cub leader for ten years and worked in local primary schools.

"She will probably never be able to do anything like that again because every time she closes her eyes she relives those ten seconds."

He said Mills wanted to go to see the family of the deceased but was told not to by police and the insurance company. He added: "She always had this feeling of guilt and wanted to explain that to the family."

Mills, formerly of Poplars Lane, West Knapton, now of Vine Street, Norton, was bailed to appear at York Crown Court for sentence on September 24 after the bench decided its powers of punishment were not enough.

Presiding magistrate Dennis Gormley said: "The question we have had to ask ourselves is was this a momentary lapse of concentration or poor judgment?

"There was a long line of sight and the morning was clear although dark. You have made an extremely poor decision to pull out."