The brother of a man who killed a teacher in a drink-drive crash has been jailed for 12-weeks after he was convicted of getting behind the wheel while over the limit for the third time.

East Anglian Daily Times: Matthew Anderson who died in 2009 after getting behind the wheel nearly two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit. He killed Sarah Lee, a 24-year-old teacher after crashing into her car.Matthew Anderson who died in 2009 after getting behind the wheel nearly two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit. He killed Sarah Lee, a 24-year-old teacher after crashing into her car. (Image: Archant)

Nicholas Anderson, formerly of Holbrook, crashed into a car at 50mph while more than twice the legal alcohol limit.

East Anglian Daily Times: Sarah Lee, 24, was killed when drink-driver Matthew Anderson crashed into her car.Sarah Lee, 24, was killed when drink-driver Matthew Anderson crashed into her car.

The 29-year-old then fled the scene, abandoned his car and made a 999 call to say it had been stolen.

In December 2009, Anderson’s brother Matthew, 24, died in a crash in Stutton, near Brantham, which also claimed the life of 24-year-old Sarah Lee, a teacher at the Royal Hospital School.

He was nearly two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit when his car veered on to the wrong side of the road, hitting Miss Lee’s car.

Appearing at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Nick Anderson, of Reavell Place, Ipswich, was sentenced after pleading guilty at a hearing on August 26 to drink driving and failing to stop.

After speeding off the A14 at Wherstead on August 25, Anderson’s VW Golf crashed into another car. He fled the scene of the accident, dumping the car.

Moments later at 8.20am Anderson dialled 999 reporting his car had been stolen. Police officers traced Anderson to a friend’s address in Holbrook where he denied being involved in a crash. A subsequent breath test showed he had 92 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

The court heard Anderson was previously convicted of drink-driving in 2008 and in 2002.

Sue Threadkell, representing the digger driver, invited Judge Dawson to read the pre-sentence report compiled by the probation service.

She said: “This young man is an articulate and hard-working individual who is completely unable to make appropriate actions when in drink.

“From the information on page three of the report it is right to say that has led him to drink more, though that can’t be put forward as an excuse.

“I have spoken at length with his parents and it seems that he finally realises the seriousness and that more needs to be done to stop his drinking, perhaps through counselling from professionals.

“His drinking has not interferred with his employment, he is a responsible person while at work.”

District Judge Celia Dawson, giving credit for Anderson’s guilty plea, said: “You, at the age of 29, still seem to be trying to avoid personal responsability for the havoc your drinking is causing, not just for you and your victims but for your parents who have suffered considerably already.

“At 8.10am you had this huge reading, your actions were quite clearly a danger to yourself and to other road users.

“To try and avoid responsability is frankly shameful given the circumstances.

“I think if I gave you a suspended sentence we would just be putting off the inevitable.

“I really, really hope that this draws a line under your behaviour and you come out suitably shocked and ready to do something about it.” Anderson was sentenced to 12-weeks for each offence to run concurrently, of which Judge Dawson said he would serve half. He was also disqualified from driving for four years.