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A 90-year-old man who mowed down and killed two women outside a hospital after mistaking the accelerator on his automatic car for the brakes has been spared jail.

Philip Bull's sentence sparked fury among the victims' family members, with some crying out in court and one even hurling foul language at the judge.

Speaking through tears after the hearing, victim Deborah Clifton's sister Julie described how she was "angry" and "devastated" over the decision.

She told the Manchester Evening News: "I hope he [Bull] remembers this for the rest of his life and I do hope he lives a very long time."

She also said: "He took a mother away, a nan away, everything away, and still not a day goes by where we don’t relive every single moment of what happened."

Bull had been dropping off his 87-year old 'infirm' wife for a doctor's appointment at the hospital on the day of the "genuine, but catastrophic, mistake".

(Image: Cavendish Press/Pat Isaacs)

(Image: Cavendish Press)

(Image: Cavendish Press)

The court heard how he accidentally accelerated while reversing his green Ford Focus into a parking space, with the vehicle suddenly spinning out of control.

Bull then crashed into Deborah, 49, and her partner Clare Haslam, 44, who were walking outside Withington Community Hospital in Manchester.

He crashed into Clare first, then collided into Deborah as she was trying to get away, crushing her under the wheels of the vehicle, it was said.

Deborah tragically later passed away in another hospital, despite members of the public lifting the vehicle off her. Her partner also suffered multiple crash injuries in the impact and died shortly afterwards.

Bull, who is carer for his wife of 65 years Audrey, who suffers from Alzheimers, was said by onlookers to be in a "confused state" in the moments after the incident.

The retired textile merchant initially did not seem to know what happened - and he even asked bystanders what he had done.

(Image: Cavendish Press/Pat Isaacs)

(Image: MEN) (Image: PA)

The grandfather from Wythenshawe, Manchester later said he thought he was pressing his foot down on the brake and not the accelerator. He said in his subsequent panic, he carried on inadvertently pressing down on the pedal.

He confessed: "I cannot think of any worse way to come to the end of my life, having ended the lives of others."

At Manchester Crown Court, friends and family of the two women wept in the public gallery and shouted: "The British justice system is s****" with some storming out of court as Bull was handed a two-year jail term, suspended for two years.

He was also banned from driving for life. The pensioner had earlier pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

As he was led out of court via a back exit, a loved one of the women shouted at his sons: "I hope your dad lives a long time to regret this.

"I hope he thinks about them everyday."

The maximum prison sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is currently 14 years in jail, but the government is planning to raise it to life imprisonment.

This would make the offence equivalent to manslaughter.

Relatives of Deborah and Clare initially sat in silence in the public gallery, but began gasping in despair and weeping as they learnt Bull would go free.

(Image: Cavendish Press)

(Image: Cavendish Press/Pat Isaacs) (Image: Cavendish Press/Pat Isaacs)

Passing sentence, Judge Martin Walsh said the angry reaction was "understandable" but told Bull: "I'm quite satisfied you would, if you could, turn back the clock - it was a genuine and catastrophic mistake.

"Family and friends have been left devastated and bereft by the loss of their loves ones and nothing this court can do can put right the wrong, or restore the devastating loss that occurred.

"The sentence imposed cannot ever reflect the value of lives lost and the consequences in this case were unforeseen and completely unintended.

"I ask myself would an immediate sentence of imprisonment genuinely be in the public interest but it will not act as a deterrent for others and will not put the right the wrong that has been done.

"Whilst it would be a harsh punishment, the fact is that you will live for the rest of your life in the knowledge that your unintended actions on this occasion resulted in the death of two people. That is your burden to bear."

(Image: Cavendish Press/Pat Isaacs)

(Image: MEN)

There were cries from the public gallery as the sentence was passed and one person used foul language towards the judge, the MEN reports.

The court heard Bull - who was described as a "decent, honourable and hard working man' - had no medical grounds to stop driving despite his advancing years and had a clean driving licence.

But tragedy struck at 2pm on March 7 this year when he arrived at the hospital with his wife. He initially dropped her off in an ambulance bay and helped her with her walking frame, but then got back in his car to reverse into a nearby parking space and turned his wheel on a right hand lock, the court heard.

Miss Sarah Johnston, prosecuting, said: "He began to turn the steering wheel but then suddenly accelerated. There were pedestrians using the footpath and two partners Deborah Clifton and Clare Haslam could be seen walking together.

"The vehicle by now was at full lock and the speed of the car was increased.

"The rear of the car knocked down a metal barrier and then Clare Haslam, hitting the wall and knocking her to the ground.

"The defendant was still driving the car and the car then span with the accelerator still being applied and the car continued to travel backwards.

(Image: Cavendish Press)

"The accelerator was pressed firmly down at this point and the rear of the car collided with Deborah Clifton as she was trying to get out of the way.

"Deborah Clifton became trapped as the car continued to reverse before hitting the wall and coming to an abrupt holt.

"Many people who witnessed the incident immediately came to their aid and were able to lift the car of off Deborah Clifton so that paramedics could give first aid.

"Clare Haslam was pronounced dead shortly after.

"She sustained severe and fatal injuries to the chest.

"Deborah Clifton was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary but despite efforts she later died. After the incident Mr Bull seemed not to know what had happened and asked what he had done. He was in a confused state and a police officer who witnessed the collision said the defendant didn't seem to know what happened.

(Image: Cavendish Press/Pat Isaacs)

"When interviewed he said when he began to reverse he believed his foot was on the foot brake but now realises he was pressing on the accelerator.

"Unintentional acceleration is a phenomenon not uncommon, especially with elderly driving and automatic cars.

"We do not suggest this was a case of deliberate bad driving but the driving created significant risk of danger arriving from a dangerous manoeuvre.

"The fact that two people suffered fatal injuries is an aggravating factor.

"This has had a profound impact and the loss of these two lives have affected the family, friends and immediate community. They were in a couple and had care of a 10 year-old child who was a relative of the family."

In mitigation, defence lawyer Richard Vardon said Bull was "hugely remorseful".

(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

He added: "This is about as tragic a case as one can possibly concede. It is immediately tragic for the victim's family and friends but I don't think anyone can deny this is a tragedy for the defendant and especially for his wife who he cares for.

"It is very easy to think this accident has something to do with his age but my submission is that it does not. This is a case of foot displacement and was the single case of this tragedy. He misapplied the accelerator more forcibly because he believed he was pressing the brake and not the accelerator.

"This is nothing to with the age of the defendant and is not an uncommon phenomenon. He pressed the wrong pedal and panicked. He understands the impact and the gravity of the offence and he feels great sadness for the victim's family.

"But in terms of sentence there is no need to send an elderly man to prison.

"This is an exceptional case."