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Young man's dangerous driving killed 'gifted' teacher

TRAGIC: Colleen van Rooyen
TRAGIC: Colleen van Rooyen

A 20-year-old man has been convicted of causing the death of a teacher by dangerous driving.

Steven Vidler, 20, had been on trial at Canterbury Crown Court where he denied causing the death of Colleen van Rooyen, 39, one February evening last year.

Convicted of dangerous driving was his friend Luke Dixon, 20, of New House Lane, Canterbury who had been following Mr Vidler in Hollow Lane, Canterbury when the crash occurred.

The Jury heard Mr Vidler's Honda Civic crashed into the side of Ms van Rooyen's Toyota after hitting an embankment in the narrow road, spinning and richocheting out of control.

It hit the driver's side of the Toyota killing Ms van Rooyen instantly, carried on moving and bounced off the bank, ending up stationary on the roadside.

Mr Dixon was driving another Civic and the Crown said by the way it went out of control and collided with the other vehicles, it was being driven dangerously.

Mr Vidler, of Davidson Road, Canterbury, told the court he had been dazzled by on-coming headlights and the bank was closer than he realised.

Both men were remanded in custody for reports and will be sentenced on July 27. Judge Adele Williams warned Mr Vidler custody was inevitable in his case.

Speaking of the victim, Judge Williams said: "Colleen van Rooyen was a gifted teacher. She was a single parent and leaves a teenage son. Her loss is immeasurable."

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