Roy Alexander Skinner, 81, avoids jail but banned from driving for 12 years after killing Elizabeth Loan in high-speed reverse collision

He’s had a licence since he was 16, but this pensioner will never again be behind the wheel after killing a woman while reversing.

A pensioner who reversed into two women at high speed, killing one and injuring the other, has avoided jail and been banned from driving - effectively for the rest of his life.

On Tuesday, the District Court disqualified Roy Alexander Skinner’s licence for 12 years saying that, as an 81-year-old man, there is “no prospect of you driving again”.

In sentencing, Judge Michael Burnett said Skinner - who complained, in the dock, of feeling unwell and being unable to hear - had not intended to harm anyone.

However Skinner’s driving, he said, saw his car “fly across” a main road and crash into a veranda after reversing into and killing Elizabeth Loan.

Roy Alexander Skinner avoided jail after killing Elizabeth Loan in 2023. Picture: NewsWire/ Brenton Edwards

“You told police you could recall getting into your car and putting it into reverse, and the accelerator jamming,” he said.

“You have no memory of accelerating or the collision … I accept there was no intention to drive dangerously.”

Skinner, 81, of Encounter Bay, pleaded guilty to causing the death of Elizabeth Beverly Loan, and serious harm to her niece, by dangerous driving.

On January 22, 2023, he reversed into the women at 28km/h in the car park of the Hotel Crown, then drove across a main road and crashed into a pole.

Skinner – who was not drunk, has no cognitive issues and had been cleared to drive, by his GP, just 12 days earlier – apologised and vowed to atone for his actions.

On Tuesday, Judge Burnett said those apologies came in Skinner’s second letter to the court, written after the victim impact statements.

“You have expressed sincere feelings of shame and regret, accepting your responsibility and acknowledging the grief and heartbreak you have caused,” he said.

“I accept you are genuinely remorseful for your conduct.”

Judge Burnett said Skinner’s driving warranted a prison term of three years, two months and 13 days, with a 2 1/2-year non-parole period.

He said Skinner’s age, lack of prior offending history, health conditions and remorse warranted suspending that sentence on condition of a two-year good behaviour bond.

Skinner declined to comment outside court.