A TRUCK driver whose “momentary lapse in concentration” led to the death of a pensioner has been told that he will never be forgiven by the grieving family.

Iwan Ynyr Roberts, of Bro Llwyn, Pwllheli, was found guilty of causing the death by careless driving of 70-year-old Dorothy Jones, following a day-long trial at Caernarfon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

The 41-year-old carpenter had struck and run over Mrs Jones at a “dangerous” junction in the village of Talysarn on Friday, 17 July, last year.

During a sentencing hearing on Friday, the father-of-two was banned from driving for a year and ordered to carry out 125 hours of unpaid work.

At the hearing, the court heard victim impact statements from members of Mrs Jones’ family in which the former hospital worker and carer for rescued animals was described as “strong-willed”, “generous” and a “free spirit”.

They also outlined the family’s sense of grief, with her daughter Tracy Louise Jones saying: “We cannot understand how this could have happened on such a quiet street. It should never have happened.

“We will never be able to forgive him for taking our mum away in such tragic circumstances,” her statement added.

During Roberts’ trial, the court had heard how he had driven to the junction after finishing work on a site in Talysarn.

While at the junction, the 41-year-old took a right-hand turn, apparently preoccupied with the view to his left, striking the pensioner who was walking her lurcher dog Fawn.

Mrs Jones was struck and dragged under the Ford Transit pick-up.

She died because of injuries to her head and neck. The dog was unhurt and found by a passer-by.

Roberts, who denied the charge of causing death by careless driving, insisted he had not seen Mrs Jones in the road, only realising he had struck someone when he “felt a jolt” and saw a shoe in the road in his rear view mirror.

Expert witness for the defence David Loat said the pensioner may have been obscured because of blind spots in the Transit truck.

The expert even suggested Mrs Jones could have fallen into the road before the impact, meaning she would have been harder to see.

The prosecution, however, insisted Mrs Jones would have been visible in the road and pointed to evidence given by Roberts’ work colleague Aled Wyn Parry who had clearly seen Mrs Jones when driving through the same junction just moments before she was struck.

Roberts expressed remorse at the hearing and was praised by police and magistrates for his honesty and the extent to which he co-operated with the investigation into Mrs Jones’ death.

He told the court: “I feel awful about everything that’s happened. It’s heart-breaking. There was nothing I could do.”

Roberts was not speeding, had good eyesight, had not been taking drink or drugs and his vehicle was in good order.

Sentencing Roberts, chair of the bench Alistair Langdon told the 41-year-old that he took into consideration his clean record, the fact that he had attempted to help Mrs Jones at the scene and his remorse.

As well as his driving ban and unpaid work, he was ordered to pay £910 in court costs.