A SALES manager whose "bad" driving led to the death of a cyclist has been fined £1,250 and disqualified from driving for two years.

Tony Mason was cleared by a jury of causing the death of triathlete Stuart Glassborow by dangerous driving and convicted of careless driving.

A judge admitted that his powers were limited when passing sentence for the offence. The maximum penalty, he said, was a £2,500 fine.

But Judge John MacDonald, QC, added that Mason, of Enterprise Road, Maidstone, was likely to lose his job as a result of the driving ban.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that the 32-year-old sales development manager was driving behind the victim on a slip road from the Wainscott bypass leading to the A2 trunk road on July 28 last year.

Eloise Marshall, prosecuting, said Mr Glassborow, who was 35, was extremely fit and it was not unusual for a training cyclist to use A roads.

Mason was travelling at between 40-50mph in a 60mph limit. Behind him was sales rep Karen Farley.

She, said Miss Marshall, watched in horror as she saw Mason’s Vauxhall Signum collide with the back of Mr Glassborow’s cycle. It was estimated that Mason had a clear view of the cyclist for 30 seconds before he hit him.

Mr Glassborow was thrown into the air and landed on the car. Efforts to resuscitate him failed. He was taken to Darent Valley Hospital but died from severe neck and head injuries.

Mason said he had been to an appointment and was going to lunch. He claimed he had not seen the cyclist at all.

But Miss Marshall alleged that the accident was caused by Mason’s inattention and his driving fell below the necessary standard.

Judge MacDonald said his view was that there was a very bad failure by Mason, but the jury’s verdict meant it was not in the dangerous category.

"Like any case where death occurs on the road, this is truly a tragic case," he said. "Precious life has been lost. Mrs Glassborow is totally bereaved."

The judge told Mason: "You, as the driver, have to live with the knowledge of what happened that day. This court cannot remedy the ills brought about by Stuart Glassborow’s death. No court can do that."