Drink-driver jailed for killing Stockton teacher in crash

Primary school teacher Amie Linton was killed in the crash

A drink-driver who killed a "highly respected and inspiring" primary school teacher in a crash has been jailed.

Amie Linton died after Simon Allport's BMW crashed into her car in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, in July 2020.

The 33-year-old from Low Easby, who taught at Norton Primary Academy, Stockton, was also a mother-of-one.

Allport, 43, of Pennal Grove, Ingleby Barwick, admitted causing death by careless driving and was jailed for five years and seven months.

He was more than one-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit after previously visiting a pub and taking a friend for a ride, North Yorkshire Police said.

A charge of causing death by dangerous driving will remain on file.

Allport was also disqualified from driving for five years and 10 months after being sentenced at Teesside Crown Court.

Simon Allport was jailed for five years and seven months and given a driving ban

Allport was driving on Tanton Road when he crashed into Ms Linton's Nissan Qashqai, which was travelling in the opposite direction.

He had been driving on the wrong side of the road and "narrowly missed" a head-on collision with another vehicle, police said, before hitting Ms Linton and forcing her vehicle off the road and into a field.

She died later in hospital.

The teacher was described as "highly respected" by the Norton Primary Academy team and an "integral part of the school", where she had recently been promoted.

More than £6,000 was raised to create a special bookcase and reading area as a "lasting memory" at the school, where she enjoyed encouraging children to read.

'Selfish and deadly actions'

A tribute released by Northern Education Trust at the time said: "She was an inspiring success story, progressing from teaching assistant to higher level teaching assistant, to trainee teacher and then to phase leader.

"Amie was fully dedicated to teaching, and championed the children at every opportunity. Her pupils loved her and she will be hugely missed by all who knew her."

Det Insp Jez Bartley, of North Yorkshire Police, said Allport would have to "learn to live with the consequences of his selfish and deadly actions" for the rest of his life.

"Getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol destroys the lives of so many people," he said.

"My thoughts and sympathies go out to Amie's family, who have shown incredible courage throughout this emotional investigation and court process, having suffered unimaginable devastation."