A retired pharmacist has been cleared of careless driving over the death of a motorcyclist.

Suzanne Gaveston, 72, was accused of killing a speeding biker in her stationary silver BMW on High Street, Pembury.

The Australian-born keen aviator had left her home in Woodsgate Way and turned onto a busy high street in August two years ago.

But a jury at Maidstone Crown Court decided she wasn't at fault when her vehicle was struck by a motorbike ridden by Jay Hayes from Halling.

Two passing paramedics stopped to help and an air ambulance was summoned - but the 33-year-old plumber died at the scene.

Prosecutor Christopher Amis said the bike had been travelling at about 46-47 mph in a 30mph zone prior to applying his brakes.

He told the jury experts had concluded that had Mr Hayes been travelling at 30mph he would have been able stop in time.

The jury took less than an hour before finding her not guilty of causing death by careless driving.

Mr Amis said: "The motorcycle, which had come from the by-pass, had nowhere to go and collided with the front offside of the BMW.

"He ended up on the ground on his back with the motorbike on top of his lower body."

"He suffered very serious crush injuries and died at the scene, " he added.

Gaveston later gave a prepared statement to police in which she denied driving without due care and attention.

The prosecutor added: "She expressed in that document her sincere remorse and regret for what had happened but said she didn't believe she could have done anything practically different."

She told the jury that she had made that journey on many occasions and, as she left the junction, the car in front had stopped and had the motorcyclist been travelling within the speed limit, he would have been able to stop in time.