A MAN who admitted causing the death of a Conwy woman by driving carelessly has been spared jail. 

Andrew Newton, of Robinettes Lane, Nottinghamshire, appeared before Caernarfon Crown Court for sentence today (Wednesday, September 13). 

The 69-year-old had previously admitted causing the death of 68-year-old Marilynn Kerrigan in May of last year following a collision on the A470 near Dolwyddelan.

Siôn ap Mihangel, prosecuting, told the court that on the afternoon of May 19, 2022, Newton was driving a vintage Daimler vehicle, carrying Ms Kerrigan as a passenger, having spent the day at Llyn Crafnant together.

Newton failed to negotiate a left-hand bend - and crossed to the other side of the carriageway, causing a head-on collision with a Renault Captur travelling in the opposite direction.

Tragically, despite all care and efforts of the emergency services, and an off-duty student nurse, Ms Kerrigan was pronounced dead at the scene. 

John Wilson, the driver of the Captur, and his wife Vivienne - who was in the front passenger seat - both suffered serious injuries. Both were airlifted to the Royal Stoke University Hospital after Mrs Wilson had to be cut from the vehicle by firefighters on scene. Their injuries included a broken wrist, fractured ribs and internal bleeding.

Newton sustained a broken ankle, metatarsal, left wrist, right eye socket and ribs, and had his jaw broken in two places - and he too was airlifted to hospital. 

A post-mortem examination found that Ms Kerrigan died due to multiple crush injuries.

When interviewed by police, Newton was asked to explain why he veered over to the other side of the road, to which he replied: “I can’t”.

A victim personal statement read by Ms Kerrigan's niece on behalf of her family described her auntie as "wonderful" and someone whose personality was "infectious". 

"Emotionally, the impact of her loss has been massive on all the family," the statement said. 

"There is a now a huge void in our lives, a sense of emptiness that she's no longer with us."

The court was told that Newton and Ms Kerrigan had met on a dating app and had been close friends for around nine months. 

Robert Dawson, defending, said: "There is no sentence that this court can impose which will form greater punishment that my client inflicts upon himself - given the grief, guilt and remorse he feels.

"He has accepted responsibility that it was his fault through his guilty plea at the first opportunity."

Judge Nicola Saffman described Ms Kerrigan as being a "remarkable" woman, and praised her family for their "incredible restraint and dignity" during the proceedings. 

She said Newton had shown "genuine remorse" for the consequences of his actions and had "not sort to minimise in any way" what had happened. 

Newton was handed a 16-month prison sentence, which was suspended for a period of 16 months. He was disqualified from driving for two years.