Nine years for 111mph driver who killed couple

A businesswoman who killed a young couple by driving a Jaguar into them at 111mph was jailed for nine years today.

Mary Butres, 47, was driving John Nichols' Jaguar XJ8 when it hit surface water, skidded and hit Mark Crompton, 20, and his 19-year-old girlfriend Jodie Brown, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

The couple were phoning for help after their Ford Fiesta broke down in the A1's central reservation at Great Ponton, Lincolnshire, when the crash happened in May last year, killing them both.

Nichols, 58, was a front-seat passenger in the car, which was recorded by its on-board computer travelling at 111mph at the moment of the collision. He was jailed for five years today.

Both he and Butres were convicted last month on two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. Butres today admitted another charge of drink-driving.

She was banned from driving for seven years while Nichols was banned for five years.

Nichols, of Carlby, Leicestershire, and Butres, of Stamford, Lincolnshire, sat impassively as the sentences were read out.

Jailing Butres and Nichols, Recorder Greg Dickinson QC said: "The consequences have been truly terrible for all concerned.

"For all the family members and relatives and close friends the loss has been devastating and it is a loss that will never go away.

"I am very conscious of the knowledge that absolutely nothing I can do or say can put right the harm that has been done by your actions.

"The sentence imposed by the court is not intended to put a value to a life. Often the outcome of an accident is down to chance; a minor error of judgment can have terrible consequences while bad driving may mercifully bring no harm at all.

"By deciding a sentence it is necessary to assess the blame-worthiness of each of you. It seems perfectly clear that the Jaguar was being driven at a grossly excessive speed."

He went on to describe Butres as a "successful, hard-working and decent businesswoman" who had been haunted by the crash.

Nichols, he said, was of previous good character and had a number of charitable commitments.

Recorder Dickinson also ordered him to pay half the prosecution's costs of £14,000.