Overtaking car ran into moped

York Crown Court was told that Tamara Bennett, 23, was driving along Chaloners Road in Dringhouses on December 12 last year when began overtaking the car in front and crashed headlong into the moped.

Its rider Andrew Pyecroft, a 17-year-old from Dringhouses, was hurled from his machine and died soon afterwards.

Bennett, from Lycett Road, Dringhouses, was arrested and later charged with causing his death by dangerous driving.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Sarah Mallett, prosecuting, said the accident had happened at about 5.30pm. Bennett had been at a pub playing pool, but although she had drunk alcohol, she was not over the drink-drive limit.

The fatal crash was witnessed by another driver, Christine Battams, who was driving along Chaloners Road with her two children on their way home from Sunday lunch with her mother.

Mrs Battams said she noticed Bennett's Renault Clio was very close behind her on the road, which is governed by a mixture of 30mph and 20mph speed limits.

"As I was coming off a speed hump, the car behind was already on top of the speed hump," said Mrs Battams.

Then she described how as she was indicating to turn left into Herdsman Road, Bennett revved up her engine and pulled out to overtake.

At this point, Mrs Battams said she noticed the moped riding towards them between the speed humps on the road, and beeped her horn to alert Bennett to the oncoming danger.

But she was unable to prevent the horror smash that followed, when Bennett's car collided directly with the moped.

The court heard how Mrs Battams had stopped her car and tried to help the rider, and Bennett had also remained on the scene. More people joined them on the road and called emergency services.

Andrew Pyecroft was taken to York Hospital, but died.

Bennett later told police she thought he had been riding too fast, and that she did not believe she had been driving dangerously.

The trial continues.

Updated: 12:15 Wednesday, October 26, 2005