No jail for death crash taxi driver (From Middlewich Guardian)

No jail for taxi driver who killed Louise Acton, of Ashmore Close, Middlewich

9:00am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News By David Morgan

A TAXI driver has avoided jail for causing the death of a Middlewich woman after a wedding celebration.

Louise Acton, 31, of Ashmore Close, was leaving the reception party at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry when she was struck by a private hire car.

The mother-of-one was walking along the grass verges close to the entrance of the hotel at around 1.30am on August 7 when she was hit by the Vauxhall Zafira.

Ms Acton suffered head and chest injuries and was killed instantly.

Krzysztof Karnafel, of Leicester, was sentenced at Leamington Magistrates Court on February 3 after pleading guilty to causing death while driving without insurance.

He was given a community order for one year with 40 hours of unpaid work.

The 35-year-old has also been disqualified from driving for one year and was ordered to pay court costs of £100.

At the time, Ms Acton’s family released a statement through Warwickshire Police.

It said: “Louise was tragically taken from us and we are all devastated and shocked.

“Louise was so many things to so many people.

“She was a wonderful and loving daughter, sister, mother, partner, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend to many.

“The family would like to thank everyone for their messages of sympathy and support.”

Friends have also been leaving tributes and sharing memories on the Facebook group RIP Louise Acton which has 430 members.

One said: “Thinking of you Lou. It hurts to think you are not here sharing in the day’s events and I know your family will be struggling as we have done.

“I hope you are watching over us all.”