A MOTORIST, whose car had faulty brakes when he was involved in an accident which killed a motorcyclist, has been found guilty of careless driving. The ABS braking system was not working on Robin Williamson s VW Golf on the day it skidded out of control a

A MOTORIST, whose car had faulty brakes when he was involved in an accident which killed a motorcyclist, has been found guilty of careless driving.

The ABS braking system was not working on Robin Williamson's VW Golf on the day it skidded out of control and collided with Alan Hughes.

The 69-year-old motorcyclist from Walsoken - a member of the Institute for Advanced Motorists and a motorcycle trainer - was returning home from a training session at the time of the accident on the A47 near Guyhirn.

Williamson had denied careless driving but had admitted that the ABS sensor ring was not properly maintained.

At the end of his trial, Wisbech magistrates said Williamson should not have driven the car because he knew his ABS brakes were not working.

He had been breaking the speed limit before the accident, even though he knew was more likely to skid.

They fined Williamson £1,200 with £750 costs and a £15 surcharge, and put nine points on his licence.

Prosecutor Richard Crowley said Mr Hughes was overtaking a lorry when Williamson approached from the opposite direction.

"His car went out of control when he applied the brakes, and because of the loss of control it spun at 90 degrees into the road, crossed the white line, leaving the motorcycle with nowhere to go," he said.

Mr Hughes and his bike were trapped between the lorry and the car.

Defending, solicitor Chris Jeyes said Williamson had been wrongly advised that without ABS, his car had a normal braking system.

"If he had thought there was any risk, he would not have driven it," he said. He said Williamson, 34, of Bainton, near Stamford, had "not been driving at a huge speed".