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| Tracy Capal |
A woman was arrested, charged and convicted of causing death by reckless driving after knocking into an elderly cyclist with her Porsche, according to court proceedings in the United Kingdom.
However, a judge gave her a suspended sentence citing her work for charities, including the Jewish charity Nicky Alliance Day Care Centre for Jewish elderly people.
The victim was riding her bicycle to put flowers on the grave of her husband.
Tracy Capal, 51, accidentally hit 77-year-old Margaret Ward, as she was turning into a Porsche dealership.
Then, she parked her car, and initially was not aware of the old widow who was sent flying to the floor. Ward died later in a local hospital from injuries to her head and chest.
Capal, a divorcee, is a leading Manchester socialite and her Facebook page has pictures of her with the pop mogul Simon Cowell and retail entrepreneur Sir Philip Green.
At the Chester Crown Court, she was given a jail sentence of six months suspended for two years after she admitted causing death by dangerous driving.
She was also banned from driving for two years and ordered to pay costs of 1,300 pounds.
Ward, a former primary school caretaker, visited the grave of her husband Bob every day to lay flowers and was known by locals as the lady on the bike.
Last year she was on her way from the cemetery on the outskirts of Wilmslow.
Capal had been shopping in Bramhall and she went to the Porsche center in Wilmslow.
"The car hit the front wheel of the bike, which knocked her off balance. Ward fell on the pavement and suffered serious head and chest injuries.
Capal has raised thousands of pounds for charity by sponsoring cycle rides in India and South Africa.
Judge Elgan Edwards said: "You are a decent woman with a record of charity, but you misjudged the situation.”