An 84-year-old man has been spared jail time after knocking down and killing a cyclist on New Year's Day.

The cyclist, Martin Skinner, has been described as a ‘kind and caring’ grandfather.

Terence Bunnett, 84, of Brangwyn Crescent, Newport was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court for causing the death of Martin Skinner.

On January 1, 2024, the defendant was driving a Vauxhall Astra down St Julians Avenue with the intention of turning right onto Caerleon Road.  

The defendant was on his way to the shop to buy a loaf of bread when he drove into the side of Martin Skinner.  

Mr Skinner was returning from seeing his wife who was in residential care, and he regularly visited. 

The prosecutor, Alex Orndal, said when the crash occurred at 4.20pm it was dusk, vehicles had their lights on, traffic was light, and it was raining ‘but not heavily’. 

The defendant could be seen stopping at the junction and then turning right into Caerleon road in video footage shown in court.  

It was at this point when he drove into the side of Mr Skinner who was in front of his car. 

In the video, a person nearby rushed to the crash and waved her arms while shouting ‘No! No! No!’ 

It was heard in court, he reversed momentarily driving over him, leaving the victim trapped beneath the car.  

Mr Skinner died after the crash despite efforts by emergency services to free him from beneath the car. 

A postmortem examination of the Mr Skinner revealed the cause of death was a basal fracture to the skull. 

The defendant remained at the scene of the collision and tests carried out for alcohol and drugs were negative. 

A vision test was carried out and he was able to read a number plate from a distance. 

The prosecution said Mr Skinner ‘was there to be seen as he entered the junction and had been for some time’. 

It was heard in court, in a police interview, the defendant said he couldn’t see the cyclist ‘for the life of me’. 

He said he moved backwards with the intention of pulling into the Spar shop car park because he thought he had a punctured tire. 

In a police interview, he also said he had his left eye removed during his childhood when a piece of glass got stuck in it.  

It took him a long time to judge depth and distance again and learn to walk, he added. 

His defense representative, Owen Williams said the defendant was ‘horrified by the consequences of his actions’ and is ‘overwhelmed by shame, remorse and regret’. 

A victim personal statement, written by Mr Skinner’s wife with the assistance of her daughter, was read out in court.  

In the statement, his wife of thirty years, recalling the moment she met her husband and ‘best friend’, said:  

“There was an instant attraction. I knew there and then he was my soulmate. 

“That day when leaving, he gave me a kiss goodby and said, ‘I will see you tomorrow’.” 

The defendant was given a custodial sentence of six months suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay a fine of £154 and £85 in costs. 

The judge told him he had failed to see the cyclist and ‘turned into collision with him’, causing the death of Mr Skinner. 

His honour Judge Daniel Williams addressing the family of the deceased in attendance, said “I'm grateful for their quiet dignity during this most difficult of court hearings.”