Jurors have started their deliberations in the trial of a driver accused of causing the death of a five-month-old baby.

Shelagh Robertson, 75, was driving home from a shopping trip on January 22 last year when she turned into the path of an oncoming van on the A10 at Waterbeach forcing it onto the pavement.

The van hit Rachael Thorold and baby Louis, who was being pushed in a pram by her, killing Louis and throwing Rachael into the air, causing serious injuries.

Robertson, of Stables Yard, Waterbeach, denies causing the infant’s death by careless driving and is now on trial.

The defence team argue that she is not guilty by reason of insanity as she had undiagnosed dementia at the time.

James Leonard, defending, told the trial it was “obvious” Robertson’s driving “fell below the standard of a reasonable and competent driver”.

But he said that Robertson was “ill-equipped to negotiate” the junction due to her dementia and she was unaware of this as she was undiagnosed at the time.

Prosecutor David Mathhew said in his closing speech: “There’s no doubt here that Shelagh Robertson is suffering from a form of dementia and was suffering from it in January 2021.”

But he raised the question of “where on the slope of dementia Shelagh Robertson was in January 2021”.

The judge, Mark Bishop, told jurors that to return a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, they must be satisfied on the balance of probabilities.

Robertson had dementia at the time and either did not know what she was doing or did not know that what she was doing was wrong.

He said that this “doesn't include a momentary failure to concentrate”.

The judge told jurors, as he sent them out to begin their deliberations this morning (August 11): “You are under no pressure of time to reach your decision.”

The trial, which is in its fourth day, continues.