THE family of a Hampshire man are “devastated” after the woman who caused his death was spared jail.

Charles Punter, 25, from Winchester, was a passenger in colleague Rebecca Price’s car when she collided with a Range Rover. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

It was the first day of his new job at a marketing firm in Essex.

Rebecca Price was taken to hospital, arrested the following day and later pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Police believe that at the time of the crash on, December 12, 2011, she had been travelling at 45mph in 30mph zone as she approached a bend.

At Chelmsford Crown Court, the former sales representative was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and given 300 hours of community service.

Charles was brought up in Winchester with his sister Claire, attending Nethercliffe School in Fulflood, before going on to Kings’ School and Peter Symonds College.

In a statement after the case, his family said: “We were devastated by Charlie’s passing last December and the resulting 12 months have done little to heal the wounds.

“Given the severity of her offence, we are deeply disappointed that she was not given a custodial sentence as 300 hours’ community service and a driving ban does not seem to be an adequate punishment for causing death, nor do we feel that it is a sufficient deterrent to others.”