Loved ones speak of loss from death of Boston-area woman and criticise sentence awarded to driver responsible

A photograph of Tara Green, from the Boston area, released by Lincolnshire Police on behalf of her family.

The family and partner of a woman from the Boston area who died in a collision in Lincolnshire have spoken of their loss and how they feel the sentence awarded to the man responsible for her death does not go far enough.

Tara Green, 32, died following the collision on the A158 at Rand, near Wragby, Lincolnshire, on the evening of December 12, 2020.

Today (Thursday, April 24), following a trial at Lincoln Crown Court, Victor Grimmer, 62, of Main Street, Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire, was found guilty of causing Tara’s death by dangerous driving.

Grimmer was also convicted of a second charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving to Tara's partner.

The court was told the collision took place after Grimmer’s Ford Mondeo drifted completely onto the wrong side of the road. Grimmer was heading westbound, while Tara was driving eastbound with her partner who was pregnant at the time.

Lincolnshire Police said in a statement following the case that the collision caused the Vauxhall Mokka driven by Tara to rotate 180 degrees and leave the carriageway. The vehicle came to rest in a field on its side, the force said.

Grimmer told investigators during a police interview that he had been blinded by oncoming lights or he may have been cleaning his windscreen when the collision took place, police said.

The court was told, though, that forensic tests showed the oncoming Vauxhall Mokka did not have its lights on main beam for at least three seconds prior to the collision, the force added.

As part of their statement, police also released comments from Tara’s family and her partner.

The family said: “The verdict was obviously the right one, but we are now trying to live our lives without our beautiful, treasured daughter and sister.”

They said that while ‘no sentence given would justify our loss’, the judicial system had proven to be ‘inadequate’ with its interpretation of what sentence should be awarded to someone who ‘has taken away the life of someone special who had so much to look forward to’.

“Tara … you will be missed and loved forever by us and by all your family and friends. Love You TJ XXX,” they added.

Tara’s partner said that while ‘some justice’ had been served for Tara today, it was ‘not long enough’ and would ‘never get her life back’.

“I will never heal from my injuries physically, mentally and emotionally,” she continued. “Our baby will never know her other parent in addition to having life limiting health issues.

“My best friend and partner of seven years got taken away at a moment in life when our family was just starting and that loss will never be filled.

“I'll forever cherish Tara and the time we had together, time cut far too short.”