Haverhill woman found not guilty of careless driving in fatal road collision

A Haverhill woman has today been cleared of causing the death of a jogger by careless driving.

It took a jury at Ipswich Crown Court an hour and a half to find Chantel Macbain, 26, not guilty.

Macbain, of Shardlow Close, said that she had been unable to avoid an impact with mother-of-two Claire Taylor when she darted in front if her Vauxhall Corsa car.

The accident happened on the B1061 Thurlow Road, Great Bradley on December 27, 2016.

Mrs Taylor, who lived nearby, was thrown 35 metres into a field by the impact.

During a three day trial, the jury heard prosecution claims that Macbain had failed to take sufficient care when driving in icy conditions.

Macbain said that as Mrs Taylor moved in front of her car in a "split second" she had braked and tried to steer away to avoid an impact.

The trial heard that Mrs Taylor, 41, who had been on a training run, was declared dead at the scene from multiple injuries.

Prosecutor David Wilson said that the road had been due to be gritted but it had not taken place due to an error.

After the jury returned a not guilty verdict, Judge John Devaux told Macbain that she was free to leave the court.