Police have held reconciliation meetings with a widow who found out her husband’s killer had been sentenced by reading the Medway Messenger.

Annette Easterby spoke for the first time eight months after her husband, grandfather-of-three DS Terry Easterby, was killed in a road crash.

The Kent Police sergeant, who had won awards for his work with victims’ families, was off-duty when his motorbike was hit by a pensioner’s car in February.

Roland Millington, 76, admitted causing death by careless driving. Mrs Easterby found out when she read the front page of the Messenger.

Mrs Easterby, of Cheriton Road, Rainham, said: “Everything is still raw. We are still sorting things out and we still need questions answered.

“I met with officers last week and I am still in talks with them. We are due to meet at least one more time.”

After hearing of the blunder, Mrs Easterby said: “It’s outrageous. We needed to be in court to have closure.”

Magistrates gave Millington, of Cooling Road, Cliffe, a year-long driving ban, a 120-day suspended prison term, a six-month community order and £85 court costs.