The widow of a man killed by a dangerous driver has paid tribute to her husband and "hero", just days before their wedding anniversary.

This Sunday, December 12, would have marked six years since Gillingham couple Lloyd and Nichola Donovan were married, but tragically their time together was cut short when Lloyd died in a crash on the Medway City Estate on October 30, 2019.

Driver Peter Ross, from Gravesend, whose Audi car collided with Mr Donovan's motorbike, was later found guilty of dangerous driving, but was able to leave court with only a two year suspended sentence in August this year.

This week Mrs Donovan spoke to Kent Online again after Lloyd's family learnt their appeal against the sentence had been rejected by the attorney general Suella Braverman.

"I've not wanted to speak out because I was hoping the justice system would prevail but unfortunately it hasn't," said Nichola. "I'm beyond devastated at the loss of my husband. Even now, over two years down the line we are still fighting for justice.

"I don't pretend to know the legal system, or the reasoning behind sentences, but the driver was found guilty of death by dangerous driving and already had a conviction on his licence for drink driving. He also had a previous conviction for drink driving and had taken a non guilty plea.

"He made me watch horrific CCTV footage of the collision because he took a non guilty plea. This is why I don't understand why the judge took an unduly lenient view when it came to sentencing."

Nichola added: "My life will never be the same again. I lost my beautiful husband when he was only 36 years old. I'm not sure the judge would have had the same view had this been a member of his family, the same for the Attorny General office.

"It's our wedding anniversary this Sunday December 12 and another I'm spending without Lloyd. The pain of grief never goes away. He was my hero. A true gentleman who would do absolutely anything for anyone. He had the biggest heart and the most contagious laugh. He was loved by everyone."

Nichola said her grief was exacerbated in the wake of Lloyd's death, due to the possibility of a second post mortem being requested.

"Because of this, I never got to be alone to say my final goodbyes to Lloyd," she said. "I had to have a police officer stand in the room and watch me sit next to him and not touch him."

And she explained that by the time the deadline for a second post mortem passed - without one being requested - it was too late.

"I was told that I could not see Lloyd again on my own because too much time had passed and he no longer looked like him."

Nichola says Lloyd's death has had "a ripple effect that can't be explained", adding: "Family and friends will feel this loss for the rest of our lives.

"Lloyd's best friend Bryan had been best friends since they were four years old. He was best man at our wedding along with Ollie who again had been friends with Lloyd since they were children. Both Bryan and Ollie spoke at our wedding as best men, and at Lloyd's funeral."

Nevertheless, with this week being National Grief Week, she gave credit to the charity WAY Widowed and Young, who had provided a lifeline to her.

"WAY were able to support me with a network of people in similar situations to myself," said Nichola. "I was able to speak to people who had been through this and were at different stages themselves.

"Losing someone suddenly and in such a horrific way is a different type of grief to losing someone with cancer for example. WAY supported me by allowing me to reach out to people and get help and advice with regards to what I was going through."

"Joining WAY I was able to reach out and speak to other people who had been through this."