Elderly motorist who caused the death of a boy is spared from jail

Edwin Vickers was behind the wheel of a Nissan Micra which collided with Seth Bartle on Tiln Lane at around 3.50pm on Monday January 15.

Seth, a pupil at Carr Hill Primary School, was airlifted to hospital but sadly died six days later.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, Vickers, 77, of Bigsby Road, Retford, was given a 16-month suspended prison sentence and banned from driving for three years.

He previously admitted to causing the youngster’s death by careless driving.

Vickers had been driving a recently-delivered hire car and admitted he wasn’t familiar with all the controls.

A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Police said: “His erratic driving and its devastating consequences was witnessed by several people who were collecting children from school.”

Detective Constable Steve Willetts, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, added: “This has been an extremely tragic case for everyone involved.

“Vickers was unable to control the vehicle as he was unfamiliar with the controls. Seth’s death has been incredibly distressing for his family, fellow students, parents and teachers and also for those who witnessed the collision and tried to rescue Seth.

“We ask that people regularly question whether they are fit enough to drive and that they think twice before getting behind the wheel. Friends and family have a role to play in that too, and may this incident, as devastating as it has been, serve as a reminder to all.”