THE mother of a Bradwell mum-of-two has slammed the sentence given to the driver whose careless driving caused her daughter’s death.

Christine Lincoln, 50, of York Road, Great Yarmouth, tagged the 12 month custodial sentence given to Casey Mola, 20, at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday for causing her daughter Kelly Palmer’s death “a disgrace.”

The court heard Mola, of Blundeston, was uninsured and driving on the wrong side of the road when his Citroen ploughed into Mrs Palmer’s Suzuki Vitara 4x4 convertible, killing her and injuring her daughter Jordan, 10 and son Kyle, eight, who were passengers.

Cannabis was also found in his vehicle after the collision on the B1375 at Oulton in Suffolk on November 2 last year, though there was no forensic evidence to suggest he had driven while unfit because of the drug.

Mola, of Market Lane, admitted causing death by careless driving, driving while uninsured and possession of cannabis. The charges all relate to the collision.

Mrs Lincoln, who attended court with Kelly’s step dad Tony Lincoln, 50, and brother Chad, 28, said: “It is disgusting, I wanted at least three years. “It was only because the charge was careless driving, when it should have been dangerous driving. He will be out again in six months because of good behaviour.

“He was on the wrong side of the road and he knew what was happening. He did not plead guilty when he initially appeared before the court, it was only for the last two court appearances that he changed his plea.”

She was also unhappy Mola had not apologised either in writing or in person, only showing any sign of remorse through his defence team in court.

“When has he ever said sorry? It was only in court, and never directly. He has never sent a letter to Kelly’s children or to us saying sorry for what he did. His only remorse is that he is going to be put in a young offenders institution,” Mrs Lincoln said.

She added Kelly’s children were struggling to come to terms with her death and talked about her regularly.

The devoted mum, who lived with her children and husband Keith, 67, in Wagtail Close, was running Kyle to football training with Blundeston Magpies when the crash happened at 5.40pm.

ASDA employee Kelly was hoping to become a manager with the supermarket giant and was undertaking a management course.

Mrs Lincoln said she had received much support from Kelly’s many friends around the town and was backing a campaign to get tougher sentences for drivers who cause death on the nation’s roads.

Widower Keith described the sentence as “deeply disappointing” and said he believed that Mola should have received a prison term.

“You kill someone with a gun and go to jail, but receive next to nothing if you are driving a car,” he said.

“Mola has got away with it, while my little boy is still having hospital treatment.

“The loss of their mother is something the children will never recover from, but we will just have to try and put this behind us.”

An anonymous reader had written to the website of the Mercury’s sister paper, the East Anglian Daily Times, saying he was going to write to 10 Downing Street calling for the law to be toughened.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, told the court: “Kelly Palmer was driving her seven-year-old son to football practice and also in the car was her nine-year-old daughter. She was travelling in a southerly direction, the defendant was heading north. For reasons we may never know he did not stay on his side of the road and drove into the path of Kelly Palmer’s car.

“A heavy head-to-head collision resulted, weighted towards the driver’s side of Kelly Palmer’s vehicle. As a consequence, serious injuries were caused leading to Kelly Palmer’s tragic death and injuries to her son and daughter.”

Stephen Dyble, for Mola, said: “He has shown genuine remorse and I tender his heartfelt apology to the victim’s family, although I know those words will bring little comfort.”

Mola was also disqualified from driving for three years and fined �150 for possession of cannabis.