A coach driver who ran over and killed a young architect as she cycled to work has been jailed for 15 months.

Barry Northcott, 40, pulled into a cycle stop box as he waited to turn off Whitechapel High Street, failing to spot 32-year-old Karla Roman.

Ms Roman was trapped by the turning coach and suffered "devastating" injuries as she was dragged and her bike under the wheels.

Woolwich crown court heard Northcott did not know he had hit Ms Roman until one of his passenger's raised the alarm.

Brazilian-born architect Ms Roman, who moved to London with her boyfriend in 2012, was on her way to work at the award-winning LOM Architecture and Design in Shoreditch.

She was rushed to hospital shortly after the crash, in the morning rush hour on February 6 last year, but died from her injuries.

Northcott denied causing death by careless driving but was convicted by a jury last month.

He told police after the crash that he had pulled into the cycle box "to avoid getting swarmed by cyclists".

Jailing him for 15 months this morning, Judge Christopher Kinch QC said: "It may be frustrating to see cyclists - swarming or otherwise - pulling in front at junctions.

"But the box is the device placed there to protect vulnerable cyclists from the consequences of not being seen as traffic pulls away.

"Motorists simply have to accept that, and it is not open to them to decide when and where they may ignore that rule."

He added it "seems clear you didn't notice Karla Roman".

After Northcott's conviction, Ms Roman's family called for motorists to be more vigilant of cyclists, especially around cycle boxes at junctions.

"We feel Karla was let down by the driver of the coach when he disregarded the cycle box, which resulted in this fatal incident", they said.

"We would appeal to any drivers reading this to think about your actions and respect the cycle box."

She was described in court today as "kind, gentle, and friendly who lived life to the full", and had just completed a second degree.

"She will plainly be greatly missed by her friends and family, both here and in Brazil", added the judge.

Describing the crash, prosecutor Harpreet Sandu told the trial: "The defendant began a left-hand turn and into the path that Karla Roman was on, he did not see her in the mirrors as he turned because he was not paying attention.

"He did not see her in the mirrors as he continued to turn as he was not paying attention, and when he made that left-hand turn into her path, his coach collided with her and ended up dragging her with her bike under the wheels of the coach."

Northcott, a father-of-two who was driving for Kent-based coach company Clarks Coaches, would have been able to see Ms Roman for 16 seconds as they approached the junction, the court heard.

His barrister, Harry Bentley, told the court the former solider, who served in Bosnia, is "desperately sorry" for Ms Roman's death.

"Barry Northcott literally relives the tragic collision with Ms Roman every day, and at ties he has considered ending his own life because of it", he said.

Northcott, from Southover, in Bromley, denied but was convicted of causing death by careless driving.

He was also banned from driving for five years and 30 weeks.