Prison officer driving at 100mph before fatal crash

The crash happened on the Quilly Road

A prison officer whose “grossly excessive speed” caused a head-on crash in which a 63-year-old man was killed has been jailed for a year.

Gavin Hume, 30, had previously pleaded guilty to causing the death of Edward Montgomery and seriously injuring his son Matthew by dangerous driving.

Mr Montgomery died after the two-vehicle collision on the Quilly Road between Articlave and Coleraine on 9 August 2019.

A crash site examiner's report indicated that 500 metres from the point of impact, Hume’s car was travelling between 100 and 108mph where the speed limit was 60.

With puddles of water on the road after a heavy downpour, the car began to aquaplane, Hume lost control of it and the vehicle, now travelling at about 55mph, crashed into the Montgomerys' car.

Edward Montgomery, a father of three, died at the scene, while his son Matthew, who was 21 at the time, had to be cut free from the wreckage.

Five years after the collision, Matthew Montgomery still has metal plates and pins in his arms and legs and still suffers significant pain in his ankles.

'Absolutely avoidable'

At Antrim Crown Court on Wednesday, a judge said the crash had been "absolutely avoidable".

He added that victim impact statements from the Montgomery family "bring home in stark terms the enormous cost in terms of pain, loss and heartache inflicted upon the innocent, lawful users of our roads and their families".

Hume must spend a further 15 months under supervised licence conditions and has been banned from driving for five years.