THE husband of a women who died in a fatal car crash on the Isle of Wight last year has spoken of how his wife's death has left a hole in all their lives.

An Essex woman has been sent to a young offenders institute after admitting to causing the crash that left Yvonne Copland, 64, dead and four other seriously injured.

A double decker Southern Vectis bus and two cars were involved in the horrific incident near Newport in April, 2019.

Yaashmi Ravikumar, 20, of Buller Road, Laindon today (Monday) answered one count of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of serious injury by dangerous driving, in an appearance at the Isle of Wight Crown Court.

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Daniel Sawyer, prosecuting, said cars behind Ms Ravikumar noted that on approach to Forest Road, the top of a double decker bus could be seen above the hedgerow.

He said: "Appearing not to have seen the bus, give-way signs or markings, Ms Ravikumar failed to give-way and drove headlong into the front-left wing of the bus."

Mr Christopher Martin, defending, said: "Ms Ravikumar was just 18 years of age ­— an inexperienced driver.

"On her way to the Needles, she had no knowledge of the area, and relied on directions provided by her satnav."

Her defence referred to a forensic collision report, which noted how there was a limited view from 10 metres away from the junction, and how only a vehicle on the immediate approach to the junction could have been seen.

"She was an inexperienced driver, unfamiliar with the road, which may go some way to explain why she was driving at 47 miles per hour in a 60 mile-per-hour zone," said Mr Martin.

"It's possible that despite the presence of the give way signs, she suffered a form of 'tunnel effect' where her concentration was solely ahead of her."

He told the court that when an investigating police officer drove the same route, his satnav also gave no verbal warning of the junction ahead.

The court heard the impact of Ms Ravikumar's car knocked the bus sideways and into oncoming traffic, and how there was nothing the bus driver or the driver of the red Fiat could have done to avoid the collision that followed.

The court heard the individual traumas of those involved, which included that of Mrs Copland's husband, Derrick, and son, Warren.

All those in the red Fiat travelling with Mrs Copland sustained serious injuries.

Derrick and Warren Copland were both airlifted to Southampton Hospital, where the former was unconscious in intensive care for a month.

The hospital described his injuries as life-threatening, and later as life-changing, and he awoke some time after his birthday, having missed his wife Yvonne's funeral.

In a series of victim statements, Mrs Copland's family revealed the emotional impact the crash has had on them and the mental and physical scars left in its wake.

Mrs Copland's husband said it broke his heart he didn't get to say goodbye or attend his wife's funeral, while her son felt his dad had "lost everything".

The bus driver, Stephen Pitman, wrote of how he feared he would never walk again, blamed himself for the crash, and upon returning to the site of the crash, said he experienced overwhelming anxiety.

Ms Ravikumar ­— a mathematics student and aspiring teacher ­— was described as amicable, respectful and honourable in court, and as part of her defence, letters detailed her shame, remorse and significant change in personality.

Her defence said she remained at the scene and was forthright in expressing how terrible she felt because the crash had been her fault.

"The fact that she missed the warning signs means that at the approach to the junction, her driving fell well below the standard of a competent driver," said Mr Martin.

Yaashmi Ravikumar was handed a sentence of 18 months for causing death by dangerous driving ­— half of which will be in a young offenders' institute

She was sentenced to 12 months for the other four counts, to be served concurrently.

Her Honour Judge Susan Evans QC said: "You, Ms Ravikumar, made a catastrophic error on this day.

"You immediately took responsibility for the collision. You immediately expressed your remorse.

"That remorse is directed at the victims and not out of any sense of feeling sorry for your own predicament.

"As you have said in your letter to me, you don't expect anyone to forgive you and you can't in fact forgive yourself."

The judge said she had considered making it a suspended sentence, but told the court the only appropriate punishment was immediate custody.