A Dutchman who caused the death of a grandmother in a near head-on crash while driving on the wrong side of the road in Ilkley was today sentenced to a six month jail sentence suspended for 12 months.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Michel Vanderburgt, 38, was on the wrong side of the road for almost a minute before his Opel Astra smashed into a Mercedes-Benz car, driven by Tony Emmott, whose wife Jackie was a passenger.

Mrs Emmott suffered fatal injuries in the accident on September 16 last year.

The court heard that neither driver had more than two seconds to react when they saw each other on a bend on Moor Road, Ilkley.

Vanderburgt was in England visiting his wife’s family and had been for lunch at the Cow and Calf hotel before the accident. He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecuting at the Crown Court today, Andrew Kershaw said: “He has driven in this country before on previous visits, about once a year, during his relationship.”

The packed courtroom heard that Vanderburgt and his wife suffered serious injuries in the crash and that Mr Emmott is still receiving treatment.

Sentencing Vanderburgt, Judge Robert Bartfield told him: “You will wake up every day of your life and open your eyes with recollections of what you have done, and that will always be your greatest punishment.”

Vanderburgt was also banned from driving in the UK for 12 months and ordered to pay £500 towards prosecution costs.