A 22-year-old fencer has been jailed for four years for causing the death of 18-year-old William Andrews when the van he was driving crashed into a tree in Bicknacre.
Nicholas Weston, from Pedlars Path, Danbury, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court, yesterday, Friday December 19, after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and also causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The court had heard that Weston lost control of his Ford Escort van which struck a tree at Leighams Road, Bicknacre shortly after 9:30pm on Saturday, September 28, 2013.
One of four passengers, 18-year-old William Andrews from Shirebourn Vale, South Woodham Ferrers, died at the scene.
Another passenger, Joshua Cumberland, now aged 19, from Drywoods, South Woodham Ferrers, was seriously injured.
In addition to the jail sentence, Weston was also disqualified from driving for eight years and told he would have to pass an extended test at the end of his disqualification.
DS Catherine Offord of the Essex Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said after the hearing: "This was a very tragic incident and my thoughts are with William's family, especially on the approach to another Christmas without their son.
"Nicholas Weston made the conscious decision to drive whilst over the prescribed limit that evening and that ultimately affected his ability to drive the van.
"He carried his passengers in a dangerous manner and sadly this resulted in the death of William and Josh being seriously injured."
She added: "This is yet another reminder of the dangers of drink-riving as it affects the driver's ability to comprehend and react.
"Essex Police is actively running a Christmas campaign against drink-driving but drinking and driving is not acceptable at any time of the year.
"I would also like to make people aware that dangerous driving is not restricted to the manner of driving but also to the manner in which passengers are carried.
"Nicholas Weston carried his passengers in a vehicle which was not designed to carry them and they had no seatbelts to restrain them as they travelled in the rear of his van.
"Accepting that they all got in there of their own accord it is a warning to drivers that the responsibility still falls on them when such consequences occur".
