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A motorist momentarily blinded by the sun has been jailed for 12 months after a cyclist died.

Michael Bisi, 60, admitted causing the death of “superfit” grandad Paul Jones by driving carelessly.

A judge said that although the sun had been in his eyes, he had already seen the cycle up ahead and had failed to make adequate allowances.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Bisi should have had a 200-metre clear view as he drove to his job as a fitter, along the three-lane Hafodyrynys Road at Crumlin on August 12 last year.

But at 7.20am with the sun low in the sky and shining towards him, his Mercedes car clipped the mountain bike as he passed it.

“The blow caused Mr Jones to fall from his bike and he was in the process of falling when he was struck by another vehicle travelling behind”, said prosecutor Ian Kolvin.

Bisi stopped and walked back but then said he had to get to work and drove off, leaving his name and telephone number with others.

It was later suggested he had misspelt his name and left one digit out of the telephone number but in court, his barrister Jeff Jones said Bisi of Western Terrace, Ebbw Vale, had stayed for 10 or 15 minutes before going.

He had also given his mobile phone to his passenger, to ring 999 so his number would have been recorded.

He was traced and arrested 12 hours later.

Paramedics failed to resuscitate Mr Jones, 60, and he died from what a pathologist said was "blunt trauma to the chest".

Bisi’s car had faults, including two defective tyres described as "glaringly obvious" to anyone but its condition was said not to have contributed to the accident.

However, coupled with a conviction in 2011 for defective tyres and using a mobile phone while driving, it did show a general disregard for road safety, said the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Eleri Rees.

She told Bisi: “It is accepted your vision was impeded but you were aware of the cyclist and you failed to take adequate precautions.

“Given the width of the road(two lanes going in the direction they were travelling) it is hard to understand why you failed to give a wider berth."

Bisi’s previous convictions also include five times driving while disqualified and uninsured but he was said to be a hard working man who had brought up a family and raised money for charities .

“He is remorseful and if he could put back the clock, he would,” said defence counsel Jeff Jones.

“Other drivers said the sun was blinding – he was not speeding and did slow down but not enough.”

Jailing him and imposing a two-year driving ban, the judge said it was difficult to know why he had left the scene, giving the grieving family of Mr Jones the impression he had tried to flee.

In a statement read to the open court, widow Angela Jones said every day was a living nightmare without her husband she previously described as "superfit" and who was still cycling to work daily.

“He was my husband, my best friend and my soul mate,” she wrote.

Their son Paul, said: ”My father was robbed of his life and we have been robbed of him.”