A former executive for car giant BMW has walked free from court after causing an accident that killed a teacher – and left her 13-year-old daughter paralysed from the neck down.

The Daily Mail reports that the crash occurred at around 7.30am on 18 March, when 45-year-old Anthony Norton from Hazleton in Gloucestershire pulled out of a side road in the Cotswolds onto the A436. Cheltenham College teacher Karen Hood, 48, was unable to avoid Mr Norton’s car – or move out of the path of an oncoming lorry.

She was killed instantly and her 13-year-old daughter – a pupil at Cheltenham College who was sitting in the rear seat – suffered devastating injuries. A 15-year-old boy sitting in the front seat of the car was seriously injured but has made a fully recovery after surgery. All the occupants of the car were wearing seatbelts and the airbags deployed on impact.

Gloucester Crown Court heard that Norton resigned his position at BMW following the accident and has given up driving. Mrs Hood’s husband – 54-year-old investment banker Dominic Collier – and his daughter told the court they had forgiven Norton for his reckless driving that caused the accident and did not wish to see him imprisoned. Mr Collier's daughter is in Stoke Mandeville Hospital and is not expected to leave for another 18 months, although she is able to attend school one day a week and returns home at weekends.

Norton pleaded guilty to causing death by driving without due care and was sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for one year. He was also given 300 months’ unpaid community service and banned from driving for 18 months by Judge Martin Picton, who said:

‘The life of a beloved wife and mother ended. Terrible and permanent injuries were caused to a young girl who had everything to look forward to.

'You looked but you failed to see the car approaching. You know you should have seen it and it is a matter of bitter regret on your part that you did not.

'The greatest punishment for Mr Norton is the knowledge of the harm that he has caused and the fact that it was avoidable.'

Mr Collier declined to comment after the hearing.

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