A MOTORCYCLIST has been found guilty of causing the death of a 76-year-old Reading woman. 

Lawrence Tozer, 26, of no fixed abode, was found guilty by a twelve-strong jury of causing death by dangerous driving after a weeklong trial at Reading Crown Court.

Brigid Ita Guidera was crossing the A329 Wokingham Road at Cemetery Junction in Reading just before 11am on May 23, 2020, when she was hit by Tozer’s blue and white Yamaha motorcycle. 

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She was taken to hospital for treatment but sadly died later on. A pathologist has described her injuries as ‘unsurvivable’.

Tozer was found guilty on Friday, February 24 and was sentenced to six years and six months in jail by Judge Sarah Campbell.

During the trial, prosecutor Ian Hope said multiple eyewitnesses had seen Tozer, who was 23 at the time, riding his motorcycle at high speeds on the 30mph road prior to the incident as well as overtaking a number of drivers.

One witness, who gave evidence in court on Tuesday last week (February 21) said he saw the defendant overtake him on Kings Road prior to the junction.

He told the court that the manner of Tozer’s driving ‘scared’ him and his family who were in the car at the time.

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“I think it was definitely going more than my speed at about 37 to 40mph,” he said. “It was so quick and unexpected.

“I was with my family and I was shocked and scared by how it was [driving]. I was scared and frustrated at what was happening.”

Another eyewitness, Callum Harte, told the court he heard Tozer swearing after the collision when he ran over to help the elderly woman.

He said: “There was a little bit of language [from the defendant], ‘You stupid f****** b****’. He probably didn’t realise what had happened.

“I heard him as everyone else was silent in shock.”

Mr Harte, who admitted to driving at 38mph, previously told the jury he had seen Ms Guidera ‘flying through the air’ after Tozer had overtaken him at high speeds.

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He said: “I heard the sound of [the motorbike] and by the time it I heard it and was looking for it, it had already gone past me.”

As well as imprisonment, Tozer has also been disqualified from driving for seven years and three months and an extended retest is required beforehand. A victim surcharge has also been ordered.