A WOMAN has admitted knocking down and killing a cyclist and then lying to police that her car had been stolen.

Maria Sutton admitted causing the death of Dr Graham Ruecroft by knocking him from his bike while she was driving along Wallingford Road, in Cholsey, in June last year.

But she denied being over the drink-driving limit when she hit Dr Ruecroft, who had been cycling home to Wallingford from Cholsey train station.

He died five days later at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Sutton, 27, at Oxford Crown Court yesterday where she admitted causing death by dangerous driving, but insisted she had not been more than double the drink-driving limit.

She denied a further count of causing death by dangerous driving while over the prescribed limit.

Sutton, formerly of Ottery Way, Didcot also admitted perverting the course of justice by telling police her car had been stolen at the time of Dr Ruecroft's death.

The court heard how Sutton could be jailed for up to five years for admitting causing death by careless driving.

But if convicted of causing death by careless driving while over the drink driving limit, she could face a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.

Sutton, now of Haydon Court, Maidenhead, Berks, was released on conditional bail to return to the same court for trial on June 6.