THE mother of a North-East biker killed on the Isle of Man has condemned the decision to let her son's uninsured killer go free.

Jean Lynn's son, Kevin, a caretaker at Throston Grange Primary School, Hartlepool, was killed last year on the Isle of Man TT course, when another rider turned across his path.

Yesterday, the rider Seamus Greaney, 31, was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving but his ten-month jail sentence was suspended for two years.

Speaking after the verdict Mrs Lynn said: "We are very bitter and extremely upset. I had a good lad who devoted his life to children.

"We thought having the guilty verdict would help a little but it hasn't now he has walked free.

"He has not been punished for what he did. He can just go and get on another bike. But my son, who spent his life setting a good example, can not."

The court in Douglas heard yesterday that Greaney, of Co Limerick, in the Republic of Ireland, was uninsured.

Mrs Lynn said: "Where does that leave my son's wife? She didn't just lose her husband, she lost a home because she has had to move out."

Mr Lynn, 44, who had two grown-up children, died instantly when his Honda Fireblade ran head on into Greaney's bike at up to 70mph on June 2 last year.

Greaney, a competitive stunt rider, had been pulling wheelies when he rode across the path of on-coming traffic.

Breaking down in court, Greaney said he could no longer bring himself to ride a bike.

He said: "That a slight error or mistake by me could take somebody's life . . . I can't live with it."

He admitted an error of judgement but denied causing death by dangerous driving.

He was handed the suspended sentence after it was accepted that he had shown remorse.

Mr Lynn's death was the second motorcycle tragedy to hit his family. In August 1981, his brother, John, 27, was killed in a bike accident.

Mr Lynn's wife, Astrid, was in the Isle of Man yesterday to plant a memorial to her husband, whom she met when they were 14. She did not attend court.