A pensioner has been fined £10,000 after she caused the death of a 93-year-old woman after she drove without due care and attention.
Mildred Short, 74, had been behind the wheel of an Audi A1 when she turned into the path of Annette Currie-Wood in a Fiat Punto on October 9 last year.
Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard a witness saw the Audi ahead of him, indicating to turn right.
Before he could start to pass the Audi on the inside, the car stopped for a few seconds and he thought immediately to himself "no, don't go".
"He doesn't know why the Audi did the turn," said Ben Payne, prosecuting.
The man stated that the Audi turned into the path of the Fiat Punto driven by Mrs Currie-Wood, a retired classical musician of West Bridgford.
She was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, and found to have a fracture to her fifth cervical vertebrae.
She died four days after the collision in hospital. The cause of death was the spinal injury. The pathologist stated spinal injuries can lead to spinal shock which, in itself, can prove fatal.
Victim impact statements were read out from Mrs Currie-Wood's two daughters and her son.
One daughter said her mother had three grandchildren and was "very much the loved matriarch to her family spread across three continents" and was living a remarkably active and independent life and practised Tai Chi.
The case then moved on to consider the sentencing guidelines for the offence which Short, of Mapperley Plains, Arnold, had pleaded guilty to - causing the death of Mrs Currie-Wood by driving the Audi A1 on the B684, Mapperley Plains, without due care and attention.
Mr Payne said: "The Crown's case is the victim had the right of way. The inescapable conclusion is Mrs Short simply failed to see her".
He said it was a "momentary inattention" and the offence fell into the lowest category on the guidelines.
Mitigating, Anton Balkitis said Short had indicated to turn right into her home address and had only taken a short journey that morning to and from a nearby farm shop in Spring Lane.
He said she was "extremely remorseful" and has never been in a magistrates' court in her life and has surrendered her driving licence.
He said she had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's following a neurological investigation after she fractured her ankle when she was out. She was awaiting a final assessment at a hospital memory clinic.
District Judge Leo Pyle imposed the fine, a victim surcharge and prosecution costs and disqualified Short from driving for two years.
He said he had not overlooked her health and how she had "very responsibly" sought medical assistance when she realised her recollection of these events was wrong.
Given her health, unpaid work was not a realistic option and an activity or programme requirement was simply inappropriate, added the judge.
