Drink-driver jailed for causing death of best friend

Bethany McCauley, 18, died after her friend Ellie Lambert crashed her car while under the influence of alcohol

A drink-driver who caused the death of her best friend in a crash has been jailed.

Ellie Lambert, 20, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison after admitting causing the death of Bethany McCauley, 18, by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit.

She crashed her Vauxhall Corsa in Thornhill Road, Barham, Suffolk, at about 00:30 BST on 29 April last year while Miss McCauley - who was “like a sister” to her - was in the passenger seat.

Miss McCauley's family said after the hearing said they did not feel "hatred" towards Lambert but "disappointment, anger and sadness".

Lambert was sentenced to 40 months in prison during a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday

The teenager, of Shotley Close, Pinewood, Ipswich, died at the scene of the crash despite the best efforts of paramedics.

Lambert, of Kirby Rise, Barham, was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court earlier as family members and friends of both her and Miss McCauley watched.

The court heard how the “inseparable” friends were discovered unconscious in a “significantly damaged” car, in which there was a broken bottle of wine.

Following a breathalyser test, Lambert was found to have 185 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood - the legal limit is 80 milligrams.

While being treated by paramedics, Lambert said she was unable to remember the crash but falsely claimed it was actually Miss McCauley who had been driving, not her.

It was also later established Miss McCauley had not been wearing a seatbelt.

During the hearing, a victim personal statement was read out on behalf of Miss McCauley’s mother, Dawn, who said she had suffered from panic attacks since her daughter’s death.

She said: “I’ve lost my daughter through the actions of someone who was supposed to be her friend – it has caused me heartache and emotional turmoil I won’t ever recover from.

“The positive and good times don’t feel good or positive anymore without my best friend and daughter – I will never meet her life partner or children.

“We’ve lost a fantastic, caring and warm daughter and sister and the joy for my life went when she lost hers.

“We don’t feel hatred towards Ellie but disappointment, anger and sadness. The effect of this will live with me forever.”

Before the sentencing was delivered Lambert’s defence barrister asked Judge Martyn Levett to take a “merciful approach”, saying she was of “good character” and had shown an “all-encompassing remorse”.

It was also said that Lambert had shown clinical symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder since the crash and she cried most days and had panic attacks.

Judge Levett acknowledged the mitigation and said Lambert was “clearly very remorseful” but stressed her actions had resulted in a “devastating loss”.