THE elderly driver jailed for causing the death of a young mother when his car left the road in West Hampstead has had his prison sentence reduced due to ill health.

Geoffrey Lederman, 85, was sent to prison last month after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving after his vintage Mercedes collided with Desreen Brooks as she walked along West End Lane in November 2012.

The pensioner's 18-month sentence was cut to 12-months today (Tuesday) during an appeal hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Justices Caroline Swift QC, Sir Colman Treacy and Dame Kathryn Thirlwall rejected the defence team's complaints that sentencing judge Peter Clarke QC had unfairly compared the severity of Mr Lederman's offence to that of a drunk driver but decided to exercise “mercy” because of his health.

The court was told that Mr Lederman's mental and physical health had “deteriorated” significantly during his month in prison and that he had struggled to be given the appropriate medication. 

Mrs Justice Thirlwall said that the sentence was reduced as a result of the “marked deterioration in the appellant's physical health” but added that in their opinion the sentence by judge Clarke had been fair in placing “responsibility [for the death of Desreen Brooks] squarely on the shoulders on the appellant."