A SPEEDING driver from Rugby who lost control of his car, killing a pedestrian, has been jailed.
Stephen Milligan, of Evans Road, was sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to causing the death of 60-year-old Margaret Adams by dangerous driving in February last year.
The 56-year-old, who had reacted to ‘goading’ by the driver of a car ahead of him, was also disqualified from driving for eight-and-a-half years.
Milligan was driving a powerful Nissan 350z rear-wheel-drive sports car, which can do up to 155mph, behind an Audi which was also speeding.
He lost control of the car on a bend, which left the road and mounted the kerb and hit Margaret Adams. She was flung onto the bonnet and thrown through the air before landing on the path. She died instantly.
It then crossed back onto the road, still out of control, and collided with a Toyota on the opposite side of the road.
The Audi driver returned to the scene on foot and gave his details to the police. He has not faced any prosecution.
Milligan gave a negative breath test, but did have traces of cocaine in his system.
Justin Jarmola, defending, read a letter from Milligan in which apologised to Mrs Adams’ family and said the event would ‘stay with him for the rest of his life’.
Mr Jarmola conceded there was ‘an element of speeding,’ but said a defence expert had put Milligan’s speed between 45 and 50mph.
Jailing Milligan, Judge Anthony Potter told him: “The sad fact is there is nothing I can do by way of sentence which can possibly reflect the loss of Mrs Adams to her family.
“As Mr Adams has said in his statement, if you had behaved differently that night his mother would still be alive.
“It is obvious the Audi slowed unnecessarily as it was going through the gyratory system and then accelerated away along Bilton Road, a road lined with residential properties.
“Sadly you viewed the actions of the Audi as some form of goading. When that vehicle accelerated, notwithstanding that yours has been a good driving record, you ignored the speed limit and set off in pursuit.
“You were responding to the actions of another motorist who it might be thought has been fortunate in not facing any form of prosecution.
“As you approached a bend, as Mrs Adams was walking with her shopping, you accelerated, and as a result, in part because of the speed and in part because yours was a rear-wheel-drive car and the tyres were in poor condition, you lost control.
“Your car came off the carriageway onto the pathway where Mrs Adams was, and hit her. Mercifully she would have known little about that collision because she was killed instantly. She has left behind her a devastated family.
“Your speed at times was very close to twice the speed limit. That alone created a substantial risk of danger.
“It is plain to me your actions on that night were out of character. I take your letter and your guilty plea as a real indication of remorse.”
