A woman who was texting emojis moments before a fatal crash has been sentenced to six months in prison. Gemma Evans, 23, from Brecon, Powys, struck Diana Price's vehicle while driving at 50mph on the A40 at Llanspyddid in December 2016. Mrs Price, 58, died at the scene.
Evans had claimed she was not using her phone during the journey, but police reconstructed her actions using roadside camera data. The court heard she had been exchanging messages with a friend about a night out, ending with a 'cheeky monkey' and 'thumbs-up' emoji.
Evans was cleared of causing death by dangerous driving but pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. Judge Patrick Curran QC said the case highlighted why mobile phones should be switched off while driving.
In addition to the prison term, Evans was banned from driving for three years. Mrs Price was described as a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who had never had an accident in 40 years of driving.
