Driver high on cocaine and drink who killed mum of two jailed
An unlicensed driver who was intoxicated with both alcohol and cocaine when he hit a tree and killed his passenger was today (Friday) jailed for seven years and four months.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Samuel Simpkins, 39, had never held a driving licence and was over the limit for both drink and drugs when he lost control of his friend's BMW on a straight road in South Rauceby, near Sleaford.
His passenger, mother-of-two Gemma Whitehead, 38, died at the scene after the BMW veered off the road for around 30 metres and span clockwise into a mature tree.
The court heard Mrs Whitehead had been driving the BMW, which was registered in the name of her husband Mark, but had allowed Simpkins to get behind the wheel for around five minutes after having problems with her shoes.
Passing sentence Recorder Jacob Hallam KC said it was obvious that Mrs Whitehead was a much loved daughter, sister, mother and wife.
Recorder Hallam told Simpkins his actions had destroyed plans made by the Whitehead family to emigrate.
"There were plans for them to relocate and start new lives far away in New Zealand," Recorder Hallam said.
"None of those plans, or such other plans they had for Gemma will now ever come to pass as a result of what you did."
Recorder Hallam added: "Intoxicated by cocaine and alcohol, lacking the experience to drive at all, let alone a car such as this, lacking a licence, lacking insurance, still you drove."
He stated that only Simpkins now knew exactly what caused him to be driving.
Simpkins, of Alexandra Road, Sleaford, pleaded guilty to causing the death of Gemma Whitehead by careless driving while over the prescribed limit for alcohol.
As part of his guilty plea it was also accepted that Simpkins was over the prescribed limit for cocaine and had never held a full driving licence. Simpkins stated that Mrs Whitehead was driving but he took over because she was having a problem driving in her shoes.
The collision happened on Cliffe View in South Rauceby just after midnight on January 3 last year, the court was told.
Simpkins gave a reading of 55 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35.
Prosecutor David Eager told the hearing: "In addition to the alcohol consumed there was cocaine and cocaine metabolite to which he was also over the prescribed limit."
Mr Eager said Simpkins accepted he had been drinking lager and had taken cocaine at around 5pm the day before.
"This was a straight road which should have been negotiated by any driver," Mr Eager added. "Although he was an inexperienced driver the most significant factor is that he was intoxicated on both alcohol and cocaine."
At the scene Simpkins was heard to say, "I've killed my friend, I'm a murderer," but he later gave a no comment interview to the police.
Most of the damage caused was to the passenger side of the BMW after it spun in a clockwise direction leaving Simpkins with only minor injuries. Mrs Whitehead died at the scene.
A victim impact statement from Mrs Whitehead's widow, Mark, was read out by Mr Eager.
In the statement Mr Whitehead stressed he could not understand why someone would get behind the wheel after taking drink and drugs.
Mr Whitehead said Simpkins’ silence in his police interview had also made matters worse for the family.
"I still do not know why he was driving my car," Mr Whitehead added.
Mr Whitehead explained the collision had led him to turn down a new career in New Zealand and left him with a £17,000 debt as the insurers would not pay out for the BMW as it was not being driven by his wife.
"He's completely ruined my life and the children will now grow up without their mother," Mr Whitehead insisted.
Mrs Whitehead's mother also asked to read out her victim impact statement in court.
She told Simpkins: "You simply can not imagine the trauma you have caused." She added, "Samuel Simpkins how can you justify what you did."
Tom Heath, mitigating for Simpkins, asked the court to accept that he drove for just five minutes and did not do the majority of the driving.
"He did make admissions at the roadside and was described by police officers as extremely distressed," Mr Heath told the court.
Mr Heath said at the time of the collision he was abusing both drink and drugs after the breakdown of a relationship, and added the relationship with his own son would now suffer.
"There is absolutely nothing he can say which can help or solve this terrible wound," Mr Heath added.
Simpkins was also banned from driving for seven years and must take an extended retest.
Gemma’s mother said in tribute to her later: “My heart has been truly broken. I will never forget her beautiful and gorgeous face, her ever giving smile, her gentle hands and her voice that was always soft to my ears. I have shed so many tears every single day and will for the rest of my life, no one can imagine the hurt and continual loss of losing a child no matter what age.
“The trauma that Sam Simpkins has inflicted upon this family is immense; children, husband, sister, brother, parents, grandparents and all her lovely friends and extended family are in a permanent state of shock. His life just ticks over, ours has been blown away. Every day we will continue to love Gemma for the kind, caring and beautiful daughter that she was – we will love her forever.”
Detective Sergeant Kate Johnston, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said after the hearing: “Simpkins drove a motor vehicle along a small country lane and lost control on a straight bit of road. We may never fully know why this happened and the only conclusion we can draw is that the drink and drugs in Simpkins’s body are the contributory causes.
“The dangers of driving whilst under the influence of drink or dugs cannot be overstated. The impact of both legal and illegal substances on an individual’s abilities are clearly demonstrated in this case where control was lost on a straight section of road. I can only reiterate that drink and drug driving wreck lives and on this occasion, Gemma has sadly lost her life as a result of Simpkins’s actions.”