Drink-driver jailed

A drink-driver who caused the death of a mother of three when he crashed after reaching speeds of more than 100mph on a Thames Valley motorway has been jailed.

Christopher Lockwood, 31, was more than three times the legal limit when his Ford Focus careered into the back of Patricia Hesser-Young'scar on the M4.

She was travelling to work at the Royal Mail in Swindon when Lockwood's dangerous driving caused her to lose control of her Land Rover Discovery at 5.35am on June 28 last year.

Her 4x4 rolled over, went through a barrier and crashed through trees before coming to rest at the bottom of the embankment between junction 14 and Membury Services on the westbound M4.

Mrs Hesser-Young, of Sonning Common, Reading, suffered severe injuries including a fractured skull, and needed specialist care.

She died more than three months later on October 4 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. A post-mortem examination found she died from a severe head injury.

Lockwood, formerly of Tuke Walk, Swindon, and now of Etruria Road, Basford, Stoke-on-Trent, was on his way home after a night out drinking with friends in Reading.

He was arrested at the scene after failing a breath test. He gave a reading of 110mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath almost two hours after the crash. The legal limit is 35mg.

Motorway CCTV cameras revealed Lockwood was travelling at an average speed of 104mph between junctions 13 and 14.

He admitted causing death by dangerous driving and today was jailed for six and a half-years at Reading Crown Court, Thames Valley Police said.

Afterwards, Sergeant Paul Coleman, of the force's roads policing department, said: ``Christopher Lockwood made a conscious decision to drive home after a night out drinking.

``He was clearly in no fit state to drive, yet drove at dangerously high speeds along a motorway. As a result of his thoughtless actions, a family has lost a much-loved mother.

``I would like to thank all of them for their patience and assistance throughout our investigation. They have acted with the utmost dignity during what has been a very difficult time for them.''