An elderly Canberra woman has avoided conviction for a crash that claimed the life of her 84-year-old husband.
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Aileen Ann Morris, 77, pleaded guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday to negligent driving causing death and failing to stop at a red light.
The court heard Morris was driving a blue Toyota Corolla Seca east along Belconnen Way when she failed to notice a red light, ran the intersection, and collided with a green Mitsubishi Lancer about 10.10am on March 13.
She was seriously hurt in the accident and hospitalised, while the driver of the Lancer suffered minor injuries.
Her husband of 54 years, Andrew Morris, died at the scene despite attempts by police and paramedics to revive him.
The defendant's lawyer, Ben Aulich, tendered a letter from the Lancer driver offering his condolences for the loss of Mr Morris and confirming he had recovered from his leg injuries.
The court heard Morris had a 59-year clean driving record and had surrendered her licence in the wake of the accident.
Magistrate Peter Dingwall said the case was clearly a section 17 - which allowed Morris to avoid conviction on account of her unblemished driving record.
Mr Dingwall said the defendant inadvertently running a red light was something many Canberra drivers do every day.
Outside court, Mr Aulich said he could not see how the public had benefited from charging a grieving widow.
''It is an indictment on the Director of Public Prosecutions that Mrs Morris was made to front the court,'' Mr Aulich said.
''No right-minded member of the community would expect Mrs Morris, at age 77, with no criminal record and a huge amount of charitable work carried out in her life, to have to face criminal charges for such a tragic accident.''