A MILVERTON man has been spared jail after causing the death of a motorcyclist. 

Ian Robert Dudbridge, 62, of Sand Street, Milverton, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months, after colliding with a motorbike ridden by Charles Pendarves on March 30 earlier this year. 

He was driving a Toyota Auris on the B3227 at Slape Moor Bridge near Wiveliscombe

Mr Pendarves, aged 67, of Charlton Adam, was airlifted to Southmead Hospital, in Bristol, where he later died on April 13.

Dudbridge appeared before Taunton Crown Court today after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving by driving without due care and attention in September. 

He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, fined £640, and has been disqualified from driving for 12 months from today. 

At the time of the crash, an Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: "A Toyota Auris was travelling towards Wiveliscombe when it stopped to turn right into Manor Grange, where an Audi A4 estate was waiting to pull out of the junction.

"A BMW motorcycle being ridden away from Wiveliscombe approached the junction and was in collision with the Toyota and the collided with the Audi.

"The male motorcyclist was seriously injured and was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. Sadly he died at 9.10pm on April 13."