AN ELDERLY Hampshire motorist who killed a pedestrian and seriously injured another is due to be sentenced today.

Pauline Cove has been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving - an offence punishable by up to 14 years in jail - after an accident in a supermarket car park.

Her car careered into two women who were standing beside a cash dispenser outside the Totton branch of Morrisons.

Doris Lush, 86, of Park Road, Chandler's Ford, was fatally injured in the incident.

Her granddaughter Rebecca, 22, suffered serious leg injuries and spent six weeks in hospital, during which she underwent skin grafts and other procedures.

Cove, 78, of Hounsdown Avenue, Totton, had finished her shopping and had just begun the journey home when the accident happened.

Following a trial at Southampton Crown Court last month she was convicted of causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving - charges she denied.

Cove admitted she caused the crash but claimed she fainted moments before the collision and was thus unable to prevent it.

However, CCTV footage showed her sitting in an upright position with both hands on the steering wheel, the jury was told. Witnesses said her car was "lurching forward" accompanied by the sound of heavy revving.

Rosemary Burns, prosecuting, said: "The crown say the driving was clearly dangerous.

“It could be described as driving well below that of a competent driver and certainly in this case that the defendant by driving that way caused the death of Doris Lush and serious injuries to Rebecca Lush.”

Mrs Burns said Rebecca was getting money out of the ATM and Doris was standing nearby.

Mrs Lush suffered serious spinal injuries in the incident and died shortly after being taken to Southampton General Hospital. Her granddaughter suffered what police described at the time as life-changing injuries.

In a statement Mrs Lush's family described her as an "exceptional woman, a wonderful mother and an amazing grandmother".

They added: "Her death has sent shockwaves through our family. Words cannot express the sense of loss in such a tragic incident.”

Floral tributes were placed at the scene of the tragedy and all three cashpoints were temporarily boarded up.

As reported in the Daily Echo, a row of bollards were installed in front of the dispensers in a bid to prevent any similar accidents occurring in the future.

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