Driver who caused fatal head-on crash jailed

Linda Spencer was sentenced at Derby Crown Court on Friday

A woman whose Land Rover crossed on to the wrong side of the road and caused a fatal crash has been jailed for 12 years.

Derbyshire Police said Linda Spencer was driving along the B5023 between Idridgehay and Wirksworth on 26 November in her Land Rover Freelander, before colliding head-on with a car driven by Tracey Meek, 44, who died at the scene.

A passenger who was also in the car at the time suffered a number of broken bones.

Spencer, 43, of Crabtree Close in Wirksworth, admitted causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to provide a specimen for analysis and failing to co-operate with a preliminary test.

'Frankly appalling'

She was sentenced at Derby Crown Court on Friday.

Police said Spencer was seen attempting to walk away from the scene but was stopped by a passing driver, who sat her in his van until officers arrived.

She was also reported to have "smelt strongly of alcohol" and "was abusive to officers and refused to provide a breath test" at the scene, then declined to provide a blood specimen in hospital.

A force statement said that in her police interview, Spencer told officers the other vehicle was the one on the wrong side of the road when the crash happened, but this was disproved by forensic examination.

As well as her prison sentence, she was also handed a driving ban of 15 years and must take an extended test in order to regain her licence.

Det Con Diane McDermott, who led the police investigation, said the defendant "desperately tried to hide what she had done", adding the deceased "was simply going about her daily business, and had done nothing wrong".

"This collision was caused by the irresponsible and frankly appalling driving Spencer demonstrated on that day," she said.

"The fact she had clearly been drinking and then went on to flatly deny causing the crash in interview shows her complete disregard for both the law and for the family of Tracey, as well as the man who was also injured."