A teenager has been handed a suspended sentence and banned from driving for three years after admitting causing the death of a cyclist by careless driving.

Emily Dale-Beaton, aged 19, of Peveril Avenue, Peel, was sentenced to eight months’ custody, suspended for two years, and must also retake her test at the end of the ban.

Matthew McSevney, aged 43, from Peel, was hit by Dale-Beaton’s Toyota as he was cycling on October 5 on the Poortown Road near St John’s. The married father-of-two died in hospital.

An emotional victim impact statement written by Mr McSevney’s widow, Rebecca Jane McSevney, was read out in court at her own request.

In it Mrs McSevney said: ’On that day the life of me and my children changed forever. Whatever the outcome of the court case it will not bring Matthew back.

’I have lost part of me. Life will never be the same for me or my children. I never imagined this would happen to me. I have constant fear of what will happen next.’

Mrs McSevney’s statement went on to say that for three months the children had slept in her room and even now she was sleeping on the floor next to one of the children.

Her statement continued saying that she had driven the route of the accident numerous times.

’I fail to comprehend how he couldn’t be seen,’ she said. ’I have to walk past her house to go to the shops and have seen her car with "R" plates on. I find it hard to believe that the driver may still be driving.’

We previously reported how, at 8.29am on October 5, Dale-Beaton was driving along Poortown Road with her sister as a passenger.

The weather was fine, clear and dry, and there was a low morning sun, which was extremely bright.

Dale-Beaton, who was an ’R’ plate driver, was driving along the straight section approaching Hope Cottage, where there are no speed restrictions.

As she was coming to the junction her car hit Mr McSevney’s bike as he was travelling in the same direction.

The front nearside bonnet was said to have collided with the bike and he impacted on the windscreen.

He was said to be riding about half a metre from the kerb and wearing a red outdoor jacket.

Beaton-Dale stopped immediately and her sister called 999. Mr Butters said she had co-operated with the police throughout.

In a police interview she said that as she had driven over the brow of the hill she had been hit by the sunlight.

She said she had put the sun visor down and applied the brakes, decreasing her speed when all of a sudden the cyclist appeared in front of her and she made an emergency stop.

Defence advocate Peter Russell said: ’Clearly this is a desperately tragic accident. Nothing said today is an attempt to minimise its devastating impact.

’Statements were taken from others who drove that morning and all make reference to the sun and the hazard it created.

’Ms Dale-Beaton did take action to try to compensate. She put down her visor and slowed down.

’It is accepted she wasn’t driving appropriately for those conditions, perhaps a little too quickly for the conditions. Regrettably she didn’t see Mr McSevney.

Mr Russell added that his client’s inexperience as a driver may have also contributed as she had only passed her test around three weeks before the accident.

’Nothing I can say in mitigation can adequately reflect the tragedy of this accident,’ he said.

The advocate went on to say that Dale-Beaton and her family would welcome the opportunity to meet with Mr McSevney’s family to express their condolences in person.

He added that the Dale-Beaton family had been the subject of hateful comments.

’People who quite simply don’t know the ins and outs of the case decided to be their own judge and jury,’ said Mr Russell.

A probation report mentioned mental health concerns and said that Dale-Beaton’s ’vulnerability and sensitivity’ would be a worry if she was made the subject of a custodial sentence.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that she had taken into consideration Dale-Beaton’s guilty plea, age, the fact that she had no previous convcitions, her lack of driving experience, her genuine remorse and co-operation with the police.

Mrs Hughes said: ’The account is she simply did not see Mr McSevney. From the description, he was in plain sight, wearing a red jacket. There is no obvious reason why he shouldn’t have been seen.'

She added that Mr McSevney's lights were working.

’The only explanation given is the low lying sun in her eyes. It is clear with hindsight she should have slowed down more, stopped or adjusted the sun visor. Someone with more experience may have reacted differently.’