A HOTEL boss said “I didn’t see her” after he mowed down and killed the mother of the bride before a wedding reception, a court heard.
Judith Wadsworth, 66, died after she was hit by Nicholas Bannister, 64, at Coniston Hotel and Spa near Skipton, North Yorkshire.
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Judith Wadsworth was run over and killed the night before her daughter’s weddingCredit: Ben Lack
Bannister drove on for 20m after smashing into Judith as she crossed a pedestrian walkway, jurors heard.
Bradford Crown Court was told he only stopped when he heard sounds under his Range Rover.
Giving evidence today, witness Natasha Hobson-Shaw told jurors: “I recall him saying to me ‘what was that’, so he obviously heard a noise.
“My reply was, ‘It’s a f*ing person’.”
Ms Hobson-Shaw said she got out her own car and saw the “extent” of Judith’s injuries.
The witness told the court shocked Bannister repeatedly said “I didn’t see her, I didn’t see her”.
She said Bannister “clearly had not” seen Judith before the hotel boss hit her and “drove over the top of her”.
Growing emotional, she added: “It all happened very quickly.
“As Mr Bannister came round the roundabout it was evident to me he wasn’t going silly fast, it was quite slow, to the point I thought he was slowing down to stop.
“I thought he was going slow up to that area because he’d seen Mrs Wadsworth and was going to stop, I didn’t think an accident was going to occur.
“I genuinely thought that everything was going to be fine and he’d seen her and he was slowing down to stop.
“It didn’t stop and I witnessed it all.”
Jurors heard how the horror unfolded on February 7, 2020, the night before Judith’s daughter was due to get married.
The mother of the bride was returning to reception from the car park when she was struck.
Prosecutors told the court Bannister was travelling at between nine and 12mph.
Bannister denies causing death by driving without due care and attention.
The trial continues.
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Bannister denies causing death by driving without due care and attentionCredit: Ben Lack