A police community support officer from Northamptonshire caused an accident which left her teenage son and his friend dead, a court had heard.
Helen Murray, 38, of Dobson Walk, Corby, denies one charge of driving without due care and attention at Northampton Magistrates' Court.
She was driving a Ford Ka when she pulled across a main road into the path of an oncoming van, the court heard.
The crash happened on the A427 in Corby on 28 April last year.
Ms Murray's son Luke Murray and his friend Terence McMahon, both 13, were killed in the crash along with Luke's six-month old German shepherd puppy Remus.
'Tragic collision'
Sarah Brooks, prosecuting, told the court Murray had pulled across the road to turn right into the path of an oncoming van driven by Alan Scales.
She said: "This is a very tragic collision. Mr Scales has come from Market Harborough along that road.
"He approaches the junction and as he does so a Ford Ka motor vehicle comes across the front of his Transit. He can't avoid the collision."
Miss Brooks said an independent witness saw Ms Murray pull straight across the carriageway in one manoeuvre, without stopping.
She said: "She should have seen oncoming traffic, she failed to do so and failed to act appropriately in the circumstances."
Mr Scales said he could not have avoided the crash.
'Nothing I could do'
He said a Renault Megane Scenic in front of him had pulled into the slip road to turn left, then he had suddenly seen the Ford Ka cut across the road.
He said: "I tried to swerve into the middle of the road to get round the back of the car but I was just too close, there was nothing I could do."
Mr Scales told the court he had to climb out of his van further down the road, where it had ended up on its side.
Rob Bimpson, defending, said Mr Scales had overtaken two vehicles earlier on, before the collision, and suggested he had been rushing for some reason.
Mr Scales said: "It did not feel like I was going that fast, I honestly don't know how fast I was going."
The case was adjourned until Friday, when the defence will begin its case.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~43~RS~)