AN UNINSURED motorist involved in a collision when a biker was killed on the A2 has been fined £400 and banned from driving for six months.

Mother-of-two Helen Sitch, 27, had denied careless driving, claiming she had been forced into a spin by a mystery, rogue driver.

But the prosecution argued that she made up the story and had simply lost concentration and driven into the back of motorcyclist Nigel Boreham.

Mr Boreham, 39, formerly from Faversham, died instantly in the collision in August, 2004.

A commercial diver who lived in the South of France, he was riding home on his Harley-Davidson to see his family in Faversham for the first time in two years.

Sitch, of Wakeley Road, Rainham, was found guilty after a three-day trial at Canterbury magistrates' court and was also fined £200 for having no insurance.

She told the court how she was driving her Ford Granada on the A2 when she began being harassed by a white Renault, which tailgated her.

It started at the Lydden traffic lights and continued for several miles until she saw the motorcycle 200 yards ahead.

Sitch, who works part-time at the Texaco garage, Sittingbourne, claimed the Renault barged into her vehicle, forcing her to take to the hard shoulder where she hit a barrier, putting her car in a spin.

Judith King, prosecuting, said that police found no evidence of the white car.

Accident experts said their investigations indicated that Sitch had simply driven into the back of the motorcycle.

Sitch had been returning from Belgium and her two passengers were both drunk.

One of them, Ian Deadman, also gave evidence about the white car hitting their vehicle.

In reaching the guilty verdict, presiding magistrate David Davies said the bench entirely accepted the police evidence, adding that both the defendant’s and her passengers’ version of events had been deficient.

He said: “We don’t doubt your sincerity and your perception of the white car but believe you had every opportunity and ample time to avoid this accident and that your driving was ill-judged.”

Referring to the restrictions in the sentencing for careless driving, which do not allow imprisonment, he added: “We well understand the absolute tragic outcome for the family and nothing we can do can reverse that.”

He said the court had taken into account Sitch’s expressions of sympathy over the death of Mr Boreham and her meagre financial means.

Helen Fish, defending, said her client would live with the tragic death of Mr Boreham for the rest of her life.

Of the offence of no insurance, she said the insurance company had withdrawn cover because a direct debit had not be paid, which Sitch was not aware of at the time of the accident.

After the court case, Mr Boreham’s mother Sue Boreham, said: “It’s an end to the court action and closure for that. But there will never be closure for me. I don’t think anyone who has lost a child ever gets over it.

“I was pleased that my son was exonerated. The magistrates said he was driving as he should have been and his bike was in proper order.”