A woman thrust a satsuma at a lorry driver outside a court today and alleged he was eating fruit during a crash in which her mother died.

Michaela Bagley, 36, from Billingshurst, West Sussex, was angered at hearing that professional driver Barry Jillett, 33, of Ophir Road, Worthing, West Sussex, would not lose his licence.

Jillett admitted driving without due care and attention when he appeared at Horsham Magistrates' Court, and was fined £500 and ordered to pay £50 costs. His license was also endorsed with six penalty points.

As Jillett was sentenced, Mrs Bagley cried out: "So that's what my mum's life was worth."

The court heard that Jillett was doing 43mph on the A29 at Hardham, West Sussex, in poor weather conditions on the morning of October 2 last year. The speed limit for lorries on that stretch is 40mph.

When he saw what he thought was a stationary car ahead he brake, but he lost control of his vehicle and careered into an oncoming Rover saloon driven by Mrs Bagley, Mark Bishop, prosecuting, told the court.

Mrs Bagley's mother, Margaret Charlotte, 55, and her three-year-old daughter were passengers.

Mrs Charlotte died 30 days later from chest injuries.

Sentencing Jillett, chairman of the bench Fenwick Scott said: "This is clearly a tragic incident and we extend to the family our sympathy. Nothing can be done or said today that can rectify the situation.

"It should be understood that the penalty we impose today is not an attempt to place a value on someone's life."

He put the crash down to a "momentary lapse of judgment" in poor road conditions, and noted Jillett's previous good driving record, early guilty plea and expression of remorse for what happened.

Outside the courtroom Mrs Bagley immediately approached Jillett and thrust a satsuma into his hands.

Shaking with emotion, she told reporters afterwards: "I felt my mother's life was worth a satsuma. I told him his tummy was more important than my mother's life.

"I have every reason to believe he was eating or peeling a satsuma. I feel so gutted."

In a written statement Mrs Bagley said: "My recollection of the driver holding something in his right hand immediately before the crash and the matter of the satsuma peelings found in the cab have not been explained to my satisfaction."

As he left the court, Jillett refused to comment on the allegation that he was eating a satsuma when the crash happened.

Pat Curtis, spokeswoman for the road crash victim support charity Road Peace, said afterwards: "Our disappointment is that this was a professional driver speeding in bad weather conditions and he was not disqualified."