Drink-driver sped wrong way down A1 before fatal crash

Craig Hewitt was driving a VW Golf the wrong way on the A1 when his car crashed with another

A man died after driving his car the wrong way down the A1, causing a crash in which two others were killed, his inquest found.

Craig Hewitt, 34, was more than three times over the drink-drive limit when his VW Golf collided with a BMW on the northbound carriageway near Wothorpe, Peterborough, on 16 January.

The court heard he had been drinking for much of the previous evening.

Adil Hussain, 25, and Mohammed Riyajudin, 39, also died.

The hearing was told Mr Hewitt, from Bedford, drove the wrong way on the carriageway for more than eight miles before the collision between Wittering and Stamford.

A friend of Mr Hewitt and a witness in the proceedings said that when Mr Hewitt arrived at his home at 18:00 GMT on 15 January, he could "tell he had been drinking already", adding he was aware Mr Hewitt had been having "personal problems".

The pair went out to drink in Peterborough but left when Mr Hewitt became involved in an altercation, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Coroner's Court heard.

'Would not see sense'

Mr Hewitt when not drunk was "kind, gentle and loyal" but during the evening had become "aggressive" and insisted he wanted to drive home and would not "see sense", the friend said.

"When I heard what had happened and that two other people had been killed in the crash I felt desperately sorry for everyone involved and felt guilty," he added.

The crash happened between Wittering and Stamford

A collision investigation report noted that in a "rare" occurrence, the speed dial from Mr Hewitt's car had been thrown from the vehicle, still showing the speed at which it had been travelling - between 102 and 104 mph (164 to 167 km/h).

Adil Hussain, 25, who was driving back to Manchester, and one of his passengers Mohammed Riyajudin, 39, died at the scene.

Two other passengers suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital, the court heard.

David Heming, coroner, said: "This tragic case involving the death of Craig and others is serious and highlights those who drive while consuming alcohol.

He said the case served "to remind all of us as drivers we need to heed advice [around drinking and driving] and stay within legal limits".

Mr Heming ruled Mr Hewitt's death was the result of a road traffic collision.