A “distracted” mum-of-three caused the death of another woman while trying to make a phone call while driving.

Emma Farrelly was at the wheel of her Renault Scenic when she pulled out of the High Street in Charing and into the side of a Ford Focus travelling along the A20.

Joyce Wright, who was a passenger in the other car, suffered serious injuries and sadly died in hospital two weeks later.

It later emerged Farrelly, of Woodbrook, Charing, had been trying to make a phone call to her dad at the time of the fatal crash.

The 36-year-old was charged with causing death by careless driving and admitted the offence when she appeared before Folkestone magistrates on Thursday.

The court was told that on July 8, 2021 she had been on her way to pick up one of her children from school after they had fallen ill with Covid.

She was travelling along the High Street heading towards Station Road when she collided with the Focus at the junction with the A20.

Julie Farbrace, prosecuting, said: “She was driving the vehicle and was trying to make a phone call and was distracted by that.

“She drove to the junction and T-boned the car Joyce Wright was in.

“Mrs Wright suffered great, significant injuries and she had some underlying health issues and died later.”

The prosecutor said the nature of the crash put it in the highest level of culpability for the charge, given Farrelly was “trying to make a call and was distracted”.

As such, magistrates deemed their sentencing powers insufficient and sent the case to Canterbury Crown Court.

Mrs Farbrace said: “The starting point [for this category] is two years’ custody so it needs to go to the crown court. The offence can carry up to four years’ custody.”

Russell Morling, defending, said Farrelly had not been talking on the phone at the time of the crash, but had in fact been trying to make a hands-free call to her father.

He added: “She couldn’t get through and the phone was in her back pocket; it was a new car.

“She crossed over [the junction] and hit the car coming left to right.

“She never intended to do that and was going to the school from the local area. It was near her children’s primary school in Egerton.

“It was thought [Mrs Wright] was going to make a full recovery.”

Farrelly, who has no previous convictions, was bailed to be sentenced at a later date, and also given an interim driving ban.