Nurse walks free after admitting biker death crash

Chenerusai Makumbe, who works at Pinderfields Hospital, walked free from court on Tuesday after admitting causing Wayne Murray’s death on August 21, 2013.

Judge Peter Benson said Makumbe, 46, should not go prison over because she had contributed to society as a nurse.

Leeds Crown Court heard how Makumbe drove out of the junction of The Croft nursing home on Doncaster Road, Ackworth, and ploughed into Mr Murray who was thrown into the air and suffered severe injuries. Mr Murray, 54, later died at Leeds General Infirmary.

Prosecutor Andrew Kershaw told how Makumbe had gone to the nursing home to collect her husband from work.

As she was about to drive out of the junction, she looked right and saw two motorbikes approaching.

Mr Kershaw said: “It was dusk, there was no street lighting but their headlights were on.

“Visually she had a good view but nonetheless she executed the manoeuvre, and caused fatal injuries.”

Mr Murray’s younger brother, John, was riding another motorcycle and pulled over to rush to his aid.

Makumbe, of Oakwell Road, Pontefract, initially said the motorbikes were speeding in the 50mph zone.

She later told police she did not drive out of the junction.

But this week Makumbe pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving on Monday.

Experts found Mr Murray was travelling between 35 and 40mph when he collided with the car.

Probation officer Michael Berry told the court Makumbe blamed herself and struggled to face the public after the incident.

Richard Clews, mitigating, said: “She [Makumbe] could not recollect what happened and needed the experts to reconstruct it.

“They showed her what happened and after she accepted her responsibility.”

Judge Peter Benson, sentencing said: “For some reason you decided to pull out into the carriage way and you had no doubt in your mind you’d be able to clear it. But it was a misjudgment of the most catastrophic sort.

Makumbe was given a 12-month community order and told to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

She was disqualified from obtaining or holding a driving licence for three years and ordered to pay £60 victim surcharge.