Driver claims she blacked out on previous occasion before fatal crash that killed Hope Starsmore

Rebecca Porter, 34, is alleged to have violently swerved into the path of the Toyota Yaris being driven by Hope, 20, as she drove along the A158 towards Skegness.

The prosecution allege Mrs Porter was simply not paying attention to a van which was turning right into a lay-by.

But giving evidence at Lincoln Crown Court, Mrs Porter described how she had suffered from previous dizzy spells and had been prescribed tablets for her low iron levels.

Mrs Porter told the jury of a previous car crash on 1 May 2012 when she ended up in a ditch as she drove home from her undergraduate course in child studies at Lincoln's Bishop Grosseteste university.

"I remember being on the road (A158) before Sausthorpe and just feeling really disorientated and dizzy, and that I needed to pull over," Mrs Porter said.

"I remember the angle of the car, and being suspended by the seatbelt."

Mrs Porter agreed she had visited her GP the day before the crash for low iron levels and an ear infection, but had not been advised not to drive.

Following the crash Mrs Porter said she was told to follow up the cause with her GP.

"I went to the doctor two or three times, every time they said it was because of my low iron but it was improving because of my iron tablets."

The jury heard Mrs Porter began working as a teaching assistant at a Skegness school in 2014, and married her husband, who left the Army to become a HGV driver, a year later.

Mrs Porter told the jury she suffered from a number of other health issues including anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and weight gain.

At various times she was presrcribed medication and given an implant in her arm.

Questioned by her barrister, Andrew Vout KC, Mrs Porter admitted she was one of life "worriers" and had also suffered fluid on her lungs and post-natal depression following the birth of her son in 2019.

Mrs Porter said she had planned to return to work in September, 2020, and suffered a number of dizzy spells around that time, including one incident where she lent down to pick up a cup during a training day.

The issue was raised with her GP during a review appointment on 17 September, Mrs Porter told the jury.

Mrs Porter insisted she was again not advised not to drive, and began driving again in October when her son started nursery.

More iron tablets were prescribed to Mrs Porter two days before the fatal collision on Monday 5 October, the jury heard.

"I felt absolutely fine, there was no dizziness, I was taking the iron tablets," Mrs Porter said.

Porter, of Cottesmore Close, Skegness, denies causing Hope's death by dangerous driving and a second charge of causing death by careless driving.

Hope, who had just started a university course in Nottingham and was originally from Corby, was airlifted to hospital in Hull with life threatening injuries and died a week after the collision.

The prosecution allege three things were clear from the circumstances of the collision which occured on 7 October, 2020.

Louis Mably KC said the driver of the van was perfectly entitled to turn right into the lay-by and there was no fault with either his driving or that of Hope who was travelling towards Burgh-le-Marsh in her Ford Focus.

However Miss Porter, the prosecutor alleged, was left in a position where she either smashed into the back of the van or swerved violently into the oncoming carriageway.

"She simply drove as the van wasn't there," Mr Mably told the jury. "Her driving was obviously dangerous."

Mr Mably added: "She simply did not pay attention to what was an obvious obstruction in front of her."

Both cars were sent spinning in opposite directions by the force of the collision, the jury heard.

The van driver approached Miss Porter's car after the collision and said she appeared to be hysterical and saying something about being dizzy, Mr Mably said. Miss Porter also asked how the other driver was.

The jury heard Hope was travelling with her boyfriend, Ady, in the front passenger seat, and her brother, Hayden, in the back.

Mr Mably said Ady remembered seeing the van and then heard Hope say the words "What the?"

The jury heard Ady managed to pull himself from the wreckage but it was obvious Hope had suffered life threatening injuries. Hope's brother, Hayden, also suffered injuries.

Mr Mably said Miss Porter was taken to Boston Pilgrim Hospital and spoke to paramedics and police officers, telling them she felt dizzy before she swerved.

The jury heard Miss Porter was interviewed at Skegness Police Station on 23 November 2020.

In summary, Mr Mably told the jury, Miss Porter said she began feeling dizzy after passing a garden centre, did not see the van slow down, and then blacked out for a few seconds

Miss Porter said she had blacked out previously in 2012 when she had gone into a ditch, and was seeing her GP for various medical conditions for which she received medication.

Mr Mably, said however, the prosecution did not accept that Miss Porter had blacked out and was driving autonomously, and argued those medical explanations had been ruled out.

Instead, Mr Mably claimed, the explanation of a black out was something Miss Porter had latched onto after simply not paying attention.

The trial continues