A MOTHER whose careless driving caused the death of a young teacher has been spared jail.

Gary Dodd and his girlfriend, Gemma Kay, were thrown from a motorbike after colliding with Laura Wright’s Vauxhall Meriva at the junction of Inkerman Road and Heworth Road in Concord, near Washington.

Trainee maths teacher Miss Kay, 23, died in hospital after suffering head and chest injuries and Mr Dodd, from Washington, suffered fractures to his lower leg.

The incident happened at 11.27am on April 26 and Wright, 33, of Ann Avenue, Kelloe, County Durham, pleaded guilty to one charge of causing death by driving without due care and attention.

Paul Doney, prosecuting at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court, said: “At the time she was in the car with her nine-year-old autistic son and her partner’s four-year-old son. She failed to see a motorcycle from her offside. She proceeded directly into the path of the motorcycle.

“Mr Dodd swerved to avoid to car but was unable to avoid the front of the vehicle.

“He noticed as soon as he removed his helmet his leg was broken and Miss Kay was not moving.”

The court heard statements from Mr Dodd, her boyfriend, of 18 months, and her mother, Liz Kay.

Mr Dodd said: “As a result of this incident I have lost Gemma. I cannot put into words how devastated I am by this.”

Mrs Kay said she was living ‘every parents’ worst nightmare’.

She said: “The future of our family has been destroyed. A bright shining light has gone and has been replaced with darkness.”

Gavin Sword, mitigating, said Wright had a clean driving licence and no previous convictions.

He said: “Mrs Wright simply did not see this motorcycle.

“She accepts that the accident is her fault. It is a tragic case and there is no getting away from it.”

Wright is required to wear an electronic tag for five months and stay indoors between 5.30pm and 6am. She is also banned from driving for year and will have to pay the court a total of £295 for the cost of the case.

Chairman of the bench Angela Wilson said: “We have taken into account your remorse. We realise that nothing is going to bring Gemma back. We do realise that this has had a huge impact on your life.”