In the Media

Sister feels 'punished' over prosecution of her husband for crash that killed 21-year-old

PUBLISHED August 25, 2012
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Marc Canning was spared jail yesterday after a judge said he understood how he could have made the mistake that led to the death of his 21-year-old sister-in-law Emily Tear, who was his passenger.

Miss Tear suffered catastrophic brain injuries after Canning drove his Peugeot 206 across a road junction into the path of a silver Bentley Continental, which smashed into the passenger door where she was sitting.

She died in hospital in January, three months after the crash, which took place on the B4000 near Newbury, Berkshire.

Canning, 26, of Thatcham, Berks, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving at Reading Crown Court.

But Miss Tear's father said in a statement: "None of our family blame Marc for Emily's death and we know how Marc has suffered with the feeling he was responsible, both because he had a close relationship with Emily and because of the sorrow it brings to other family members, most notably his wife."

Canning's wife Pamela Canning, who was the victim's sister, said: "The prosecution has made the whole situation harder to deal with. I'm not able to cope with losing Emily and doing my job.

"I feel like I'm being punished with the stress that Marc and I are going through."

However Miss Tear's mother Debbie Tear, who is separated from her father, said Canning had shown "no remorse" to her.

She said: "I fully understand it was an accident and Marc didn't intend for it to happen but I still believe Marc was responsible."

An insurance company investigator said in a report prepared for the sentencing that the site of the accident was a black spot where numerous crashes had happened.

Judge John Reddihough told Canning: "I can understand how in a matter of seconds you may have made the mistake which you did make in thinking that the road continued ahead.

"You didn't become aware, perhaps because of the layout of the road and the trees, that it is a road crossing and you had to give way to traffic on it.

"There are very few of us who drive on the road today who can put our hands on our hearts and say we have never, ever made a mistake in driving.

"It's just very, very sad that your mistake led to the tragic consequences which it did."

Canning was handed a 12-month community order, including 150 hours of unpaid work, and disqualified from driving for two years.

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