Family’s heartbreak for cyclist son who was mowed down and killed by a pensioner driver who got ‘blinded by the sun’
THE devastated parents of a young cyclist killed on the road have told of their heartbreak at their tragic loss.
Student William Houghton, 20, died after being hit by a white Citroen C3 as he rode along the A32 near Wickham, Hants, on 28 January this year.
Jeannette Smith, 69, who was behind the wheel of the vehicle, admitted causing the keen cyclist’s death.
Sobbing in the dock, she was disqualified from driving for a year, given a £165 fine, a 12-month community order and an order to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.
After sentencing, William’s dad Richard and wife Liz spoke of their devastation at losing their son, who wanted to become a professional cyclist.
They said: “Our grief for our loving, passionate, driven and wonderful son Will is deep.
“He was a handsome, motivated and fun 20-year-old and is missed dearly by his family and friends.
“His new racing bike – delivered two weeks after he was killed – will never be ridden and we will never know if he would have achieved his driving ambition to be a professional cyclist.
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“While the 20 years he spent with us were far too short, we are grateful that he lived them to the full and left us all with happy memories and a belief that we should all strive to be the very best version of ourselves we can be.
“We welcome Mrs Smith's decision to plead guilty to death by careless driving and hope that Will's tragic death will act as a reminder to all drivers that they must be alert to cyclists at all times.”
Retired Smith, from Denmead, Hants, said she didn’t see the University of Portsmouth student, who died in hospital the day after the accident.
Matthew Farmer, defending at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court, said: “She has told me that her vision just went black at the time that she hit the cyclist.
“She is a lady of good character and is absolutely devastated about what happened.
“It is a very difficult section of road and she says that she was blinded by the sun.
“She has held her hands up and says that she never will be the same again.”
PC Lucy Hawkins, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Hampshire Police, said: “This was a tragic incident which has had a devastating impact on William's family.
“I would just like to take this opportunity to remind motorists that they must give the road their complete attention 100 per cent of the time because any lapse in concentration could have fatal consequences.
“Drivers need to be alert at all times so that they are aware of their surroundings.”
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