A SUFFOLK motorist who had taken drugs and was twice the limit for drink driving when his car veered across a road into the path of an oncoming car, killing the 20-year-old driver, has been jailed for five and a half years.

Jane Hunt

A SUFFOLK motorist who had taken drugs and was twice the limit for drink driving when his car veered across a road into the path of an oncoming car, killing the 20-year-old driver, has been jailed for five and a half years.

Nicholas Kemp, 36, had visited a number of pubs in Needham Market and Ipswich in the hours before the accident and was unsteady on his feet and had hit a post as he drove out of a car park, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

He had been driving along the B1113 at Badley Hill between Needham Market and Stowmarket shortly before midnight on May 1 last year when his Citroen C5 veered across the road and collided with a Ford Focus driven by Aiden Jones.

Mr Jones, of Orwell Road, Stowmarket suffered multiple injuries in the accident and died at the scene.

Two of his friends who were passengers in his car were injured while a 15-year-old girl who was a passenger in Kemp's car suffered a broken ankle and a back injury, said Joanne Eley, prosecuting.

Kemp, of Eastward Place, Stowmarket, was trapped in his car after the collision and suffered a broken leg and arm and was walking with the aid of a walking stick when he attended court yesterday.

He admitted causing Mr Jones' death by careless driving while under the influence of alcohol and in addition to being jailed for five and a half years he was banned from driving for five years after which he must take an extended driving test.

Sentencing him, Judge Peter Thompson said, “You caused the death of a much loved 20-year-old who had everything to live for. He had done nothing wrong. He was driving a friend home. He hadn't drunk any alcohol and he wasn't exceeding the speed limit. His family are devastated. They will never get over their loss and they will probably never forgive you.”

He said that in addition to being twice the legal limit for drink driving he had taken amphetamine and perhaps another drug called ketamine, although there was some suggestion he had been given that drug while he was being treated at hospital.

“You drove straight at the victim's car on the wrong side of the road without braking so that the impact was immense and both cars suffered tremendous damage.”

The court heard that Kemp had previous convictions for possessing heroin, cannabis and amphetamine and in 2000 had appeared in court in Kent following a head on collision with another vehicle while he was driving on the wrong side of the road on a blind bend while over the drink drive limit.

On that occasion he had been placed on probation for 12 months, banned from driving for three years and ordered to 60 hours unpaid work in the community after admitting careless driving, drink driving and driving without insurance.

Richard Potts for Kemp said his client felt genuine remorse and had written a letter to Mr Jones' family.

He said Kemp's drinking was an illness and he had suffered a number of problems with his health.