Our thanks to Joe for this. Miller had put a double mattress on the roof of her SUV, tying them down with bungee cords. Extracts:
A woman who caused another driver’s death when a mattress fell from her car roof is to be spared a jail sentence.
Rebecca Miller was in the process of moving home as the double mattress was dislodged from her Peugeot 2008 SUV on the busy A229 dual carriageway at Blue Bell Hill.
The mattress landed in the outside lane and in the path of retired security guard Clive Mauger’s Peugeot 206, Maidstone Crown Court heard.
He was unable to swerve out of the way and his car clipped the mattress, careered off the road and hit a tree.
The 69-year-old grandfather, who was travelling at about 60mph, was killed instantly.
Miller, a prison officer from Aylesford, told police she would not have driven if she had had any concerns about the load, which was held on by five “bungee” cords…
Adjourning sentence until Wednesday – Miller’s 40th birthday – Judge Julian Smith indicated he would suspend a prison sentence.
It was poor decision making, he said, that caused the fatal crash. [J4MB: No shit, Sherlock. So Miller shouldn’t bear any responsibility, because vagina.]…
Miller, who has served in the armed forces, admitted she did not check the bungee cords herself. [J4MB: Presumably checking bungee cords would be a job for an equally-paid man, in the armed forces.]
“She did grab the mattress and it didn’t move so she thought it was fastened safely and securely,” said Mr Hearnden.
We need more female prison officers.