A FORMER storekeeper cum driver was jailed for one month and banned from driving for five years on Wednesday for causing the death of a motorist.

R. Sunther, 47, had earlier pleaded guilty to causing the death of Mr Lai Heng Koi, 49, along Loyang Avenue on March 11.

He had failed to keep a proper lookout and hit the back of Mr Lai's car which surged forward and hit the rear of another car.

A district court heard that Sunther was driving a lorry when he was involved in a minor side collision with a blue lorry on the extreme left lane.

He did not stop and continued driving while looking at the lorry through the left wing mirror.

When he turned his focus to the front, he realised that the car infront of him was less than 1 metre away and he could not stop in time.

After hitting Mr Lai's car, it surged forward to hit a stationary car which in turn hit a bus.

Mr Lai, who was trapped in his car, died at the scene.

District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim said there was a needless loss of life. She noted that the negligence here was at the higher end of the scale, resulting in two persons injured.

Sunther, who had a second charge considered, could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined for causing death.