// Kay Nolan, 45, struck Grandfather Stuart Mather, 60, who was out walking his dog, just seconds after pressing send on a text message.
The court heard how she had pulled into a lay-by to compose the message but had pulled out onto the busy A6068 in Higham near Burnley, Lancashire before pressing send.
Preston Crown Court heard how she hit struck Mr Mather throwing him into the air causing him to land in the carriageway where he was run over by a second car.
But Mr Justice Singh said he could spare the defendant jail mainly on the basis that if she went into custody there was no one to care for her elderly mother and her 12-year-old daughter. //