A young mother who killed a motorcyclist apologised to his family on the day she escaped a jail sentence.

Melanie Phipps, 30, was convicted of causing the death by dangerous driving of Wayne Barry, 27, as she drove her Citroen to work along the B480, near Chalgrove, in February.

She was ordered to do 200 community hours of service and banned from driving for five years at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

Phipps, of Combewell, Garsington, claimed in court that she was preoccupied after splitting up with her long-term boyfriend when she veered across the road and forced another car into Barry's path.

The motorcyclist, who was on his way to a business meeting in Chalgrove, collided with Samantha Edward's car and was thrown into the road. He died later in hospital. Anthony McGeorge, defending, apologised to Mr Barry's family in the court and said she wished it had been her rather than him who had died. He added: "She was told at the scene of the accident that it was her fault and she has found that difficult to come to terms with. She has been haunted by images of that scene."

He said Phipps, who has two young children, was a good driver who had been distracted by personal problems.