The devastated family of a Mid Wales woman killed by a dangerous driver as she rode her motorcycle to work have called for greater sentencing powers for judges.

Julia Wiles, of Llanerfyl, near Welshpool, was killed just a mile from home as she came around a bend and collided with a vehicle which was overtaking on a blind corner.

The 46-year-old died of multiple injuries at the scene. At Mold Crown Court yesterday the car driver, former Royal Marine David Shayler, 55, of High Farm Road, Halesowen, was jailed for two years and banned from driving for three years.

He admitted causing the death of Miss Wiles on December 18 by driving his Renault Laguna dangerously on the A458 Welshpool to Aberystwyth Road at Llanfair Caereinion.

But her family were aghast that he could be freed within 12 months, adding in a statement that they were “speechless and disgusted” by the sentence.

They said they understood the guidelines the judge had to work within, but believed they were not appropriate for the loss of a daughter, a mother, a sister and a fiancée.

The court heard how Miss Wiles was on her way to work at WH Smith in Welshpool when the tragedy occurred.

Oliver King, prosecuting, told how at 7.30am on December 18 she was riding her Yamaha on the correct side of the road when Shayler pulled out to overtake a car in front of him on a blind bend.

In the impact, the motorcycle lost its front wheel and forks and the car lost control and went through a hedge. Shayler escaped with scratches.

Witnesses had seen him suddenly pull out in an impatient way and there was then the sound of an explosion and a cloud of smoke.

“The prosecution say that he started to overtake just before a left hand bend on the brow of a hill in the dark,” said Mr King.

“He could not possibly have known if there was anything coming the other way.”

Shayler told police he was not familiar with the road and he was using his sat nav.

He called it “a bad error of judgement”.

John Philpotts, defending, said his client was a man of good character who was remorseful.

By Tom Johannsen