95-year-old banned from driving for killing cyclist while on his way to golf club

A 95-year-old man has been banned from driving after he was found guilty of killing a cyclist before continuing on his journey to his golf club.

James MacKie was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving but was spared prison and banned from the roads for four years.

He was told he would have to do an 'extended test' before he was allowed behind the wheel of a car again.

The nonogenarian was handed the sentence following a collision with 48-year-old Simon Jones on the A259 near Littlehampton, West Sussex.

The Argus reports that shortly before the incident two motorists had used the outside lane to overtake Mr Jones.

Lewes Crown court heard that one of the drivers, Lee Hodgett, looked in the mirror of his Mazda after overtaking and saw a white Volkswagen swerving towards Mr Jones, knocking him onto the bonnet.

Rachel Beckett, prosecuting, said the incident took place at 6.20am on August 1, 2019.

Ms Beckett, in her opening remarks, said: “As [Mr Hodgett] moved back across the lane he checked his mirrors.

“He describes seeing a sudden, jerk movement by the defendant’s vehicle that swerved to the left and hit the cyclist, like a reactive move.

“He saw the cyclist going onto the bonnet of the car and into the air. He pulled over, but saw the defendant’s car then drive past him.”

Another witness Scott Horwood, said he had seen MacKie’s vehicle and the driver appeared 'slow and hesitant'.

Road crash experts were called in and confirmed that the  bicycle had been 'dragged along' during the incident.

Damage was also caused to MacKie’s vehicle, and he was later arrested at his golf club.

MacKie, of Cherry Croft, Wick, was sentenced on Thursday. 

The BBC report that he had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, but the plea was not accepted.

Mackie, who was aged 93 at the time of the fatal crash, was given a supervision order for 12 months and told he would have to sit an extended driving test before being allowed to drive again.