Crash death driver has sentence cut (From Worcester News)

Crash death driver has sentence cut

12:30pm Thursday 17th December 2009

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A SPEEDING driver who killed his sister’s boyfriend in a devastating smash has won a cut in his jail term at London’s Court of Appeal.

Oliver Hooker, aged 23, of Cherry Orchard, Holt Heath, near Worcester, appeared at Worcester Crown Court in June and pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. He was was jailed for four years.

Yesterday, top judges ruled that the sentence was “manifestly excessive” and cut it to three years.

Mr Justice Saunders, sitting with Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Stadlen, said that the wrong “starting point” had been adopted in calculating the sentence, and Hooker had not received enough credit for his guilty plea. The court heard that, as well as being left devastated by the death of Sean Jackson, a well-known businessman and rugby player from Upton-upon-Severn, Hooker had himself been seriously injured in the accident, and his sister Samantha had also required surgery. Cutting the sentence, Mr Justice Saunders said: “We do not want it to be thought that we are diminishing the tragic consequences, in particular for the family of the deceased.

“Human life cannot be restored, nor can its loss be measured by a prison sentence.” The court heard that Hooker, who had been caught speeding twice before, was driving at about 87mph on a 60mph single lane road when the crash happened.

He was travelling on the A4104 Marlbrook Road, Welland, in his BMW at about 11pm after a family night in Ledbury on May 31, 2008. He lost control of the vehicle just after the Marlbrook pub. It ploughed into a 30mph road sign, went through a hedge and rolled over twice before coming to a stop.

Both he and Mr Jackson, were thrown out of the vehicle. Mr Jackson suffered fatal injuries.

Mr Jackson, aged 35, owned Ardath House newsagents in High Street, Upton-upon-Severn, and played for the town rugby club’s second team.

Hooker’s sister Samantha, Mr Jackson’s girlfriend of four years, required six hours of surgery and has also had to return to hospital, while Hooker himself fractured part of his spine and suffered facial injuries.

Mr Justice Saunders said no one in the car was wearing a seat belt.

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