Family disappointed by fatal cycle crash sentence

The family of a cyclist who was killed when a driver failed to see her said they were "disappointed" by the sentence handed down.

Swimming coach Jane Blackwell, 64, died at the scene when she was hit by Jose Da Silva Junior's car at the junction of Newmarket Road and Albemarle Road, Norwich, in August 2023.

Da Silva Junior, 65, of Albemarle Road, was sentenced to a two-year community order, banned from driving for a year and given 300 hours' unpaid work by Norwich Crown Court, after previously admitting causing death by careless driving.

Mrs Blackwell's family said they were "disappointed by the day's outcomes" but "no sentence can truly reflect the depth of our loss or undo the impact".

The grandmother of two, who had competed in European triathlons, had retired the previous year and had been the head junior coach at City of Norwich Swimming Club.

In a statement, her family told the BBC Mrs Blackwell was at their "heart" and her death left a "space that can never be filled".

"Today's sentencing marks the end of an extremely long and deeply painful chapter for our family's lives, but it does not bring closure to the loss we continue to live with every day," they said.

"The emotional toll has been immense - affecting every part of our lives.

"We have had to navigate grief, trauma, and the ongoing reminder that life as we knew it has been taken from us.

"She was loved beyond words, and her absence is felt in everything we do.

"Milestones, celebrations, and even quiet everyday moments are no longer the same without her."

The court heard how the victim had been cycling home at about midday on 20 August 2023 after giving a swimming lesson at a nearby school.

Da Silva Junior had been pulling out of Albemarle Road in a Renault Laguna when he collided with Mrs Blackwell, who had been riding her £6,000 bike along Newmarket Road, the court was told.

The court also heard how Da Silva Junior's focus could have been on nearby temporary traffic lights.

Da Silva Junior wept as his barrister Ian Bridge said: "This collision is completely inexplicable in the minds of those who saw it, and [in that] of the client.

"He cannot understand for the life of him why he didn't see her.

"'The most important thing I can say on behalf of Jose, is how sorry he is... that he encountered Jane Blackwell on that day."

The prosecution said Da Silva Junior had been "clearly remorseful" and there was a "large number of witnesses on the scene, but no-one saw directly or could say how it happened".

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Anthony Bate said it was a "very sad case".

"Jane Blackwell was a talented, active and well-respected and much-loved lady," he said.

Following sentencing, collision investigator Mark Easter, from Norfolk Police, said: "A momentary lapse in concentration can have devastating and sometimes fatal consequences.

"We see the impact first-hand - families shattered, futures lost, and tragedies that could have been prevented.

"Every decision behind the wheel matters."

City of Norwich Swimming Club's head coach, Alex Pinniger, paid tribute to Mrs Blackwell as an "inspirational and highly regarded lady", and said she remained in "people's conversations with very fond memories".

An annual junior swimming competition and a coach development fund had been set up in her memory, of which she would have been "so proud", he added.

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