A Plymouth bus driver has been jailed for two years after killing a pedestrian while reading a piece of paper at the wheel.
Simon Mumford was sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
The City Bus driver struck and killed Amallia Elmasry on Western Approach in Plymouth on January 7 this year.
Bus CCTV footage showed Mumford lowering his glasses to read a piece of paper moments before the fatal collision.
Simon Mumford was sentenced to two years
Devon and Cornwall Police
Elmasry, who worked as a healthcare assistant, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident occurred just after 6pm when Elmasry crossed the road as traffic lights changed from red to amber.
Mumford was distracted for three to four seconds while looking at paperwork, causing him to fail to spot the pedestrian.
The bus driver was not speeding or under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the collision.
He had no previous convictions prior to the incident.
After the collision, Mumford brought the single-decker bus to a stop, but it was too late to save Elmasry.
At Plymouth Crown Court, Judge Robert Linford called the collision “utterly avoidable”.
“You did not set out to harm anyone that day. The effect of this decision (to look at a piece of paper) proved fatal,” he told Mumford.
Bus CCTV footage showed Mumford lowering his glasses to read a piece of paper moments before the fatal collision
Devon and Cornwall Police
The judge added: “This is one of those cases where the appropriate punishment is immediate custody.”
Mumford was disqualified from driving for six years as part of his sentence.
He will also be required to pass an extended driving test before being allowed back behind the wheel.
Police Sergeant Samantha Pullen from the Serious Collisions Investigations Team highlighted the tragic consequences of brief distractions on the road.
“This is tragic case which again demonstrates that even relatively brief periods of distraction on the road can have fatal consequences,” she said.
“We’d like to express our sincere condolences to Mrs Elmasry’s family and remind motorists that regardless of what vehicle they drive, they must remain focused on the road at all times.”
