Serial motoring offender caused lethal collision
HE KILLED HIS FRIEND WITH HIS CARELESS DRIVING IN DANGER CAR
A SERIAL drink-driver killed his friend after careering out of control in an unroadworthy car and slamming into an oncoming vehicle.
Paul Hughes had only just been re-issued with a driving licence after it was revoked due to his alcoholism and three convictions for drink-driving.
He was driving a Vauxhall Vectra, which would have failed its MOT due to the atrocious state of its tyres.
With much-loved dad Martin Dixon in the passenger seat and music blaring on a damp autumn night, Hughes had just overtaken two cars at once at excessive speed on the A187 Hadrian Road, in Wallsend.
Then, as he took a bend in the road, he lost control of the car and ended up sliding sideways down a hill into an Audi coming the opposite way.
After a forceful impact, the Vectra veered off the road, coming to rest in some bushes.
Mr Dixon, 33, suffered catastrophic injuries and died at the scene, while Hughes was also badly hurt and the Audi driver suffered minor injuries.
Hughes, who sobbed throughout the hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and failing to give consent for a specimen of blood to be tested for alcohol and drugs.
After seeing him jailed for five years and four months, Martin’s family said: “Nothing will bring Martin back. However, we are delighted with the sentence and we feel that justice has been done for Martin.
“This has been a struggle for us all and we now have closure on the incident.”
It was around 8.15pm on October 13 last year when Hughes caused the crash.
Prosecutor Rachel Masters told the court: “A collision investigation was carried out and the main cause of the collision was the actions of the defendant, who lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer across the road into the path of the oncoming vehicle.
“The defendant’s vehicle was in a poor state of repair with defects. The rear offside tyre had cords exposed, none of the tyres were the standard size and none were at the correct pressure.
“One of the front tyres had a smaller aspect ratio and tests showed this could lock the wheels under heavy braking.
“The vehicle did not conform to a standard that would meet current MOT guidelines but it can’t be said this contributed directly to the collision.”
In May 1999, Hughes was convicted of aggravated vehicle-taking and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
The court heard he was disqualified from driving in 2001 after a conviction for excess alcohol, which he was also convicted of in 2004.
In 2009 he was deemed by the DVLA to be too high-risk to be allowed to drive due to his alcohol dependency.
A year later he was deemed fit to drive and was given a licence for a year. In 2011 this was extended for a further year then in 2012 he was granted a licence until the age of 70.
In 2013 he was convicted of drinkdriving for a third time and was dis- qualified from driving and deemed a high-risk offender by the DVLA again.
However in August 2017 he was once more issued with a licence for a year. Less than two months later, he caused the death of Martin.
Sentencing Hughes, Judge Tim Gittins said: “The offence follows a pattern of your flouting of the law in relation to driving, in particular drink-driving.
“The driving of a lethal object like a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right, afforded to those prepared to abide by road traffic legislation.
“You were driving a poorly maintained vehicle that should not have been on the road.”
As well as the prison sentence, Hughes, of Simonburn Avenue, North Shields, will be banned from driving for 10 years upon his release.
In statements read to the court, members of Martin’s family told how they were heartbroken at his death and said he was the kind of person who would do anything for anyone.
He had done an apprenticeship as a gas fitter and had worked as a painter and decorator.
His family said the dad is greatly missed and had only recently reestablished contact with his natural father.
Tony Cornberg, defending, said: “He has been self-harming as a direct result of the impact this tragedy has had on him. He lives every second with the shame of what he has done.