A DRIVER who suffered a sneezing fit and crashed into a couple walking their dog killing an 83 year old man, has avoided an immediate jail sentence.

Colin Williams, from Newton Abbot, tried to dry his eyes but did not slow down or stop his BMW car when he had the sneezing episode and struck the couple in St Ives, Cornwall.

A court heard when he did regain his sight, he saw David and Daphne Clark in front of him, and despite swerving, he mounted a footpath and hit them.

Truro Crown Court heard 46-year-old Williams immediately tried to help at the scene and admitted to police what he had done.

He said by the time he could see, he was on the wrong side of the road and the couple were ‘right in front of me’.

The collision happened in Trelyon Avenue in St Ives, in daylight in April 2024 and Mr Clark died from head injuries a week later in hospital. His wife suffered life changing injuries.

Williams, of Horseshoe Drive, Newton Abbot, admitted causing death by careless driving and causing serious injury by careless driving.

The court heard Williams, who has no previous convictions, suffered a momentary lapse of concentration and reacted inappropriately but it was not a deliberate act.

Judge Simon Carr said these cases were the ‘most difficult and tragic’ to be sentenced.

He said Williams, who was delivering pizzas at the time, started sneezing and tried to dry his eyes but he should have stopped or slowed down.

Judge Carr said: ‘He knows now he should have acted differently.’

He said the consequences were catastrophic and it was an ‘enormous tragedy’ but no sentence will bring an end for the family or the defendant who had shown the most genuine remorse.

Judge Carr sentenced Williams to eight months in jail, suspended for two years, and banned him from driving for 12 months.