Man who killed mum in crash and fled scene jailed

Sharna Brooke Burgin, 23, died when the car she was in struck a parked taxi

A man has been jailed for causing the death of a young mother who died when the car she was in crashed into a parked taxi.

Sharna Brooke Burgin, 23, died and four others were injured in the crash on the A57 Sheffield Parkway on 26 February 2023.

Leon Roberts, 25, previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, Roberts, of Ballifield Close in Sheffield, was jailed for nine years and six months.

Footage played in court showed the defendant drinking two pints of lager and "a short drink" at the Old Crown Inn pub in Sheffield between 22:00 GMT on 25 February and 01:00 GMT the following morning.

In the clip, he appears to be unsteady on his feet, staggering backwards after getting up from his seat.

The court heard Roberts then offered to drive four people, including Ms Burgin, to Sheffield city centre and lied when questioned whether he had had anything to drink and was in a position to drive.

Snapchat videos taken by his passengers moments before the collision show his Mercedes GLA travelling at speed towards Sheffield Parkway with one of the captions reading "Im gunna die [sic]".

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, told the court Roberts had been "brazenly showing off" and ignored warnings from friends to slow down.

Roberts was travelling at about 100mph - twice the speed limit - before he lost control and crashed into a taxi which had been parked in a layby.

As the Mercedes filled with smoke and one of the passengers tried to get others to safety, Roberts fled the scene.

The court heard all passengers as well as the taxi driver were injured.

Ms Burgin, a mother to a five-year-old girl, suffered a devastating brain injury and died in hospital a short time later.

Roberts handed himself in 16 hours later, with results of a urine sample consistent with prior use of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol.

Leon Roberts, 25, was jailed for nine years and six months

On Friday, Roberts was also given a concurrent sentence of two years and four months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was banned from driving for a primary period of eight years.

Addressing the defendant, Judge Richardson told him: "Arrogance, alcohol and cowardice - what a terrible combination.

"You have brought devastation upon the family and a little girl in particular. Your conduct was truly despicable."

Victim impact statements read out in court described Ms Burgin as a kind, happy and caring young woman and doting mother who had just achieved her dream of becoming a paramedic.

Ms Burgin's grandmother told the court that her granddaughter had been an organ donor whose donations had helped improve the lives of four people.

Judge Richardson thanked the family for their statements and said the donations had been "magnanimous, public spirited and quite wonderful" in the face of "immense tragedy".

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