A MOTORIST who caused the death of a young motorcyclist has been banned from driving for two years and fined by magistrates.

A MOTORIST who caused the death of a young motorcyclist has been banned from driving for two years and fined by magistrates.

Craig Knott, 21, had admitted careless driving following the death of 25-year-old electrical design engineer Mark Williams on March 20 this year.

In taking away his licence, magistrates sitting in Ipswich told Knott he had a “high level of culpability” in causing the crash at the junction of Anson Road and Gloster Road in Martlesham. They also fined him £800.

Earlier South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court had heard that Knott, of Friston, was driving his Citroen Saxo from Gloster Road into Anson Road when he failed to adequately check for oncoming traffic.

Mr Williams, a former Suffolk College student who lived in Colchester, had the right of way as he rode his Honda motorcycle along Anson Road at about 5.20pm but Knott drove across his path.

Sandra Dyer, prosecuting, read the findings of an expert vehicle examiner to the court, who said: “It is not possible to say with any certainty whether Mr Knott looked and did not see the motorcycle, or if he did not look.

“During his interview he said that he looked left, then right and then left before looking straight ahead and moving off.

“Also he stated that he used this sequence as the majority of traffic at this junction came from his left.

“It is my opinion that it was a systematic failure, omitting to take a second look to the right, which did not give Mr Knott the opportunity to see the motorcycle coming towards him along Anson Road.

“The motorcycle being ridden by Mr Williams was there to be seen by Mr Knott but he did not see it or react to its presence and he pulled out of the junction in the assumption that the road was clear to him to do so, when in fact it was not.”

An inquest held earlier this month recorded a verdict of accidental death. Mr Williams had suffered head injuries after his bike entered a slide and collided with the Saxo. Paramedics battled to save him but he died about an hour after the crash.

Magistrate Peter Page told Knott: “We find the level of culpability is high because there was no restriction to the view from the direction the motorcyclist was coming and, as admitted, you simply didn't look.

“We're going to disqualify you from driving for a period of two years. We would have fined you £1,000, we reduced that to £800 based on your early guilty plea.”

Knott was also ordered to pay £55 in court costs.