A PENSIONER whose careless driving caused the death of a Cotswold motorcyclist has been fined £400 by magistrates in Cheltenham.

Peter Weaving, aged 71, of Verdon Place, Barford, near Warwick, had driven out of a country lane onto the B4035 Chipping Campden to Shipston road and hit motorcyclist David Grant, of Mickleton.

"Mr Grant's wife, Wendy, was riding a motorcycle behind him and she saw her husband die," said Dennis Scully, prosecuting, last Thursday.

Weaving pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention by failing to give way at the crossroads where the accident took place at about 3pm on September 10 last year. As well as the fine, magistrates ordered that his licence be endorsed with five penalty points.

Mr Scully told the court that Weaving came to the crossroads where the B4035 joined the Paxford to Ebrington road. "There were embankments on both sides of the country lane, as well as hedges, which restricted Mr Weaver's visibility," he said, "but the roadway was marked with Give Way signs and he obviously failed to do so properly.

"Mrs Grant saw what was happening and believes her husband was trying to swerve around the rear of the car, but collided with the side," said the lawyer.

He added that Mr Grant, aged 39, died instantly from severe head injuries.

He went on: "Police experts say that Mr Weaving had limited visibility, but the motorcycle was being driven in a normal and responsible way. They calculate the collision speed was about 40mph.

"Mr Grant was wearing an illegal visor, but that was not contributory to the accident."

Mr Ian Basant, defending, said: "Mr Weaving had been driving for 54 years without an accident. He was on his way home from a day out in the Cotswolds and this was an unfortunate lapse in an excellent driving record."