Fiancée of air crash victim spared prison

THE FIANCÉE of one of the 11 men killed in the Shoreham air crash has been spared jail for a drug offence after a judge heard of her “difficult circumstances”.

Giovanna Chirico, 34, last month admitted possession with intent to supply the Class B drug amphetamine, also known by its street name speed, on the basis she was “minding” it.

She was engaged to Mark Trussler, 54, when he and 10 other men were killed after a vintage Hawker Hunter jet failed to pull out of a loop-the-loop stunt.

The plane, piloted by Andrew Hill, crashed in a fireball on to the busy A27 in front of thousands of spectators during the Shoreham Airshow on August 22 2015.

At Brighton Crown Court, prosecutor Jeffrey Lamb said amphetamine worth £3,165 was found at unemployed Chirico’s home by police executing a warrant last September 22.

He said: “Police attended Ms Chirico’s home address. Having knocked on the door, the defendant answered.

“The officers explained why they were at her address and then Ms Chirico said: ‘There are amphetamines in a bag on top of the silver freezer’.”

Mr Lamb said Chirico also told officers amphetamine was in a white freezer before she was arrested on suspicion of possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply.

Mr Lamb added: “She thought at the time that they belonged to her ex-fiancé, Mark Trussler, who sadly passed away in the Shoreham air show disaster in 2015.”

Sophie Evans, defending Chirico, of Worthing, West Sussex, said her client had responsibility for four children and had “shown remorse” for the crime.

Sentencing Chirico to 26 weeks’ jail, suspended for 18 months, Judge Paul Tain said: “I think the majority of people will have sympathy with your difficult circumstances but the truth is it is a criminal offence.”

Judge Tain also ordered Chirico to undergo 100 hours of unpaid work.