Woman, 96, spared jail after causing deadly Formby crash

A 96-year-old woman has been spared an immediate prison sentence for killing a fellow member of her bridge club when her car mounted a kerb.

June Mills struck Brenda Joyce, 76, after applying too much acceleration to her Vauxhall Corsa in Formby, Merseyside, on 2 August 2023.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Mills “could not explain” why she sped forward and struck Mrs Joyce and her friend Jennifer Ensor, 80, who suffered less-serious injuries.

Mills, who pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and she was banned from driving for five years.

Judge Simon Medland, KC, said it “would not profit anybody” to put Mills in jail and called the case an “utter tragedy”.

Robert Dudley, prosecuting, said the three women were leaving a meeting of the bridge club at Formby Methodist Church on Elbow Lane at about 16:00 BST.

Mills, who had been driving for 65 years, had begun to drive away while the two women were walking side-by-side towards their own vehicles.

Mills’ vehicle, which was found to be in good condition, lurched forward as she tried to manoeuvre around a parked car, knocking Mrs Ensor to the ground and throwing Mrs Joyce into the air.

The court heard her head struck the windscreen and she was then trapped under the car until Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service were able to free her.

Mrs Joyce suffered multiple traumatic injuries and died at the scene.

Mr Dudley said Mrs Joyce’s widower had not supported the prosecution and had not provided a statement.

However Mrs Ensor said the memory would stay with her “forever” and she now felt nervous walking on pavements or travelling in the car.

She said she had been unable to complete a round of golf since the incident and felt a “sense of guilt” at having survived.

The court heard Mills was interviewed by Merseyside Police seven weeks later and provided a prepared statement which read: “I remember pressing the accelerator just gently and then it felt as if it dropped to the floor and shot off.

“It all happened very quickly and there were people in front of me but I could not avoid hitting them because the car was going so fast I had no control over it.”

Tim Gent, defending Mills, said his client was a “compassionate, caring and principled lady who is now reluctant to leave her home”.

“This is plainly a dreadfully sad case,” he said.

“Mrs Mills, the defendant, is extremely sorry for what happened.

“The consequences will haunt her forever. She feels great shame and guilt.”

He told the court that she was a retired careers advisor and in later years had volunteered with victims of crime and with young offenders.

Mills and her husband were also housing refugees from the war in Ukraine, he said.

Judge Medland, passing sentence, told the court said it would be “unjust” to send Mills to prison.

She was also ordered to pay a £1,500 fine and £500 in prosecution costs.