Drunk driver jailed for fatal crash and car arson
A drink driver who killed a 22-year-old law student before setting fire to the vehicle has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for death by dangerous driving.
Liam Bowes, 37, from Kelloe, County Durham, consumed between eight and 10 pints of beer along with shots prior to driving and fatally striking Abigail Eggleston, a student from Northamptonshire, on the outskirts of Durham last October.
After the collision, Bowes abandoned the Volkswagen Golf, which belonged to a friend, and set it on fire in an attempt to destroy forensic evidence, the court was informed.
Teesside Crown Court heard that Bowes "didn't brake and didn't stop" as he ran a red light at Neville's Cross and hit the student at a pedestrian crossing.
Bowes pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing, as well as to charges of perverting the course of justice, driving without insurance, and failing to stop after the accident.
Judge Francis Laird remarked that Bowes's deliberate choice to drive while heavily intoxicated "resulted in the loss of a precious life."
'Carry this burden'
Prosecutor Dr Christopher Wood stated that Bowes had been drinking at a friend's birthday party in Langley Park. CCTV footage from the working men's club showed him consuming "eight to 10 pints" of beer and shots.
Images captured Bowes appearing unsteady on his feet and exhibiting erratic behaviour.
He left the party around 01:30 and drove through Neville's Cross, where the student was returning home after a night out.
Despite light traffic, Abigail Eggleston waited for the pedestrian light to turn green and crossed only when it was safe to do so, but was struck by Bowes.
A taxi driver waiting to turn at the junction later told police that the Volkswagen Golf driver did not brake as he ran the red light and collided with the student.
Police investigations revealed Bowes was consistently driving 10 to 20 mph over the speed limit and was travelling at 56 mph through the traffic lights.
Bowes failed to stop at the scene, leaving Eggleston fatally injured on the road.
He then attempted to destroy the car by setting it on fire and subsequently hid in a caravan.
Christopher Morrison, defending, read a letter from Bowes in which he accepted "full responsibility for the accident."
"I understand that my actions have changed lives forever and I will rightly so carry this burden with me for the rest of my life," Bowes wrote.
In a victim impact statement, Abigail Eggleston's mother, Mandy Eggleston, said their "whole world had been completely crushed, destroyed, and will never be the same again."
She described Bowes as "a selfish coward for leaving her daughter dying in the road," stating it demonstrated a complete disregard for human life.
"You have no shame and no remorse," she said.
Additional reporting by .
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