by Paul Hooper

phooper@thekmgroup.co.uk

A Canterbury law student, who was involved in a death crash, was at the wheel of an uninsured car, a court has heard.

Tahira Khan, 21, had popped out for a sandwich last December in a friend's Vauxhall Corsa.

But during the 10-minute journey along The Terrace in Canterbury the vehicle hit a 64-year-old woman delivering Christmas cards.

Elizabeth Tanner - who worked for the University of Kent - was struck and died from her injuries.

Khan, of Stangate Drive, Iwade, Sittingbourne was banned from driving for a year after admitting causing death by driving when uninsured.

Prosecutor Donna East told Canterbury Crown Court: "Khan was driving the car that was involved in the collision. She received no injuries.

"She had borrowed the vehicle from a housemate, who had given her permission to use it to go to a local convenience store for a sandwich as she was hungry.

"She was en route home at the time. Mrs Tanner had driven to The Terrace, where she had lived previously, to deliver Christmas cards to friends."

Mrs East said there was only one witness to the accident, a woman who had parked in the street awaiting her son.

"The woman describes just seeing the Corsa coming towards her, thinking it was going to hit her. She describes then seeing Mrs Tanner in the air. She wasn't sure where she had come from."

The prosecutor said the witness remembers "very loud music coming from the Corsa".

She added: "Tragically, Mrs Tanner's injuries were so severe that she died at the scene."

Khan said she saw Mrs Tanner's parked car and saw the car door opening. She said she "moved around the car" and then next thing she recalled was Mrs Tanner "hitting the side."

For full report and reaction see this week's Kentish Gazette.