A DRINK-DRIVER who caused a horrific fatal crash has been jailed for eight years after he lied to paramedics and said he had been the passenger of the car.

James Hore

A DRINK-DRIVER who caused a horrific fatal crash has been jailed for eight years after he lied to paramedics and said he had been the passenger of the car.

Gurpreet Dhillon consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel of his green Jaguar XK convertible and collided with a roundabout in Centenary Way, Clacton.

The car flipped over and sparks could be seen coming from the vehicle Chelmsford Crown Court heard today.

Dhillon's passenger - Tony Proctor, 29, suffered severe injuries in the accident in the early hours of September 27 last year and his wife, Anna, was forced to make the heartbreaking decision to switch his life support machine off two days later.

There were emotional scenes in the courtroom this morning as Dhillon was sentenced with shouts of “coward” and “it should have been you” coming from the public gallery.

Samantha Leigh, prosecuting, said Dhillon had been seen kicking open the driver's door and when he spoke to police and paramedics his speech was slurred and alcohol was on his breath.

Dhillon, of Slough, who had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing death by careless driving, showed no emotion as he was sentenced.

He also pleaded guilty today of failing to provide a specimen following the crash.

Dhillon was banned from the roads for five years and faces an extended re-test if he wants to drive again.