"Tragic waste of a young life," says CPS
16/12/2011
A convicted drink driver has been jailed for eight years after killing a young businesswoman who had been visiting Norfolk to attend a friend's wedding.
A convicted drink driver has been jailed for eight years after killing a young businesswoman who had been visiting Norfolk to attend a friend's wedding.
Claire McKeown, 32, had been driving her Skoda Fabia with her husband and two close friends as passengers when Amanda Brierley, who had consumed two bottles of wine, drove into the back of them in her BMW. Miss McKeown had been stationery in the road at the time of the crash, wa
iting for a gap in the traffic to turn right.
47 year old Brierley is estimated to have been travelling at least 40 miles an hour at the time of impact. She had been drinking in a local pub when she decided to drive the two miles to her home in South Lopham.
As she drove, she almost knocked a local man off his bike and narrowly avoided colliding with a family travelling in their car in the opposite direction. Despite it being late evening, she also failed to put her lights on.
Miss McKeown suffered "unsurvivable" injuries in the crash, while her husband Simon and the two friends suffered serious injuries. Brierley, who escaped unhurt and was nearly three times over the drink driving limit, attempted to flee the scene but was detained by a member of the public.
Speaking after the case, East of England Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Andrew Baxter said: "Amanda Brierley knew the dangers of drink driving. This was a tragic waste of a young life.
"Our thoughts are with Simon her husband, and her relatives and friends, many of whom I have met and have conducted themselves with great courage and dignity at this difficult time."
The judge accused Brierley of imposing a life sentence on Mrs McKeown's family and friends.
