In a statement read to the court, the Pinkneys’ daughter Dawn Hunter said her parents had been “inseparable “for 56 years and were living life to the fullest together”.
Since her mother’s death, she said her father had lost his life partner and had “gone from doing everything with [his wife] to doing pretty much nothing”.
She said her father had been left with a limp and no longer wanted to ride a motorbike, something he had done since he was a teenager.
The couple had bought the Royal Enfield Himalayan motorbike so they could go out on trips together, the court heard.
Muriel Pinkney was an “attentive” mother and her death had been devastating for the whole family, Hunter said.
With regards to Roberts, she said: “We don’t blame the officer for what happened.”
She admitted they had been angry for a long time but “the more we heard about why he was driving the way he was, the more we understand,” adding they did not want his life ruined or for him to go to prison “for doing his job”.
Hunter also said the family were “really thankful” for Roberts apologising and accepting careless driving and “ideally” he would not have been found guilty of the dangerous driving offence.