A woman drink driver who killed her passenger on their first date was on Friday, July 10, jailed for 28 months.
Lauren Iles, now 26, lost control of her mother’s BMW as she raced another car and crashed into a tree, killing Michael McMahon.
The trainee special needs teacher, who escaped with only minor injuries, was found to be more than one and a half times over the drink drive limit.
She appeared at St Albans crown court on Friday, July 10, 2020, having pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
Prosecutor Stefan Weidmann told St Albans crown court: “The defendant and Mr McMahon, who was known as Mikey, went on a date on Sunday, November 18, 2018. It was their first date. The two spent the day together.”
Ms Iles, from Reeve Close, Leighton Buzzard, was to tell the police she had drunk a Corona beer in the day-time and had two glasses of Rosé wine of an unknown size at the Inn on the Green pub in Harpenden.
At 11pm she drove her mother’s black BMW on the A1081 north out of Harpenden. Mr McMahon, who was 28 and was due to start work as a plastering teacher, was in the front passenger seat wearing a seat belt.
The driver of a Suzuki Alto said he was overtaken at speed by a silver Golf followed by the black BMW, no more than a tail length behind. He was to tell the police he believed they were racing. He estimated they were travelling at 80mph when the limit was 60.
Iles drove on the wrong side of the road as she passed bollards near the entrance to the Luton Hoo Hotel before the road bent to the right
“She remained in the southbound lane for several hundred metres and lost control while trying to rejoin the correct lane.
“In seeking to rejoin her lane, the car rotated anti-clockwise and travelled sideways. It hit a dustbin with a concrete base, the rear of the vehicle hit a tree and it rotated clockwise, coming to rest 18 metres from the trees and 15 metres from the edge of carriageway,” said the prosecutor.
The other driver called the emergency services before leaving the scene. Mr McMahon, of Ella Court, Luton, died from a broken neck and a bleed to the brain.
Lauren Iles was taken to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. A blood-alcohol calculation for the time of the crash was 136 – in excess of one and a half times the drink drive limit. Tyre marks at the scene put her speed at between 72 and 95mph – between 12 and 35 mph above the speed limit.
Mr Weidmann said: “This was a determined effort to complete an overtaking manoeuvre at high speed going into a blind bend
“There was ample opportunity for common sense to prevail, for Ms Iles to slow down and back out of the manoeuvre.”
In a police interview she said she had attempted to overtake the VW Golf that had sped past her. She said she had panicked as she approached the corner.
In a tribute statement, Mr McMahon’s family said: “It is so sad to lose a life so young.
“Mikey was a much-loved son, brother, nephew, grandson, cousin, uncle and stepson.
“He was a vibrant, fun-loving character with a great sense of humour.
“He had the world at his feet, with plans to start a new career in teaching after Christmas.”
Defending, Will Noble said Lauren Iles, who cried in the dock, suffered remorse and shame. She has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, and suicide attempts had led her to being hospitalised. He said: “She refuses therapy and believes she deserves to suffer.”
Mr Noble went on: “It was a happy day involving two young people getting to know each other. A poor decision was made at the spur of the moment.“
Judge Michael Simon said: “Nothing the court says or does can alleviate the tremendous pain felt by the family of Michael McMahon, the victim in this case. He was a young man with everything to live for.“
He told Lauren Iles: “You were driving at excessive speed and whether you knew it or not, were over the drink drive limit.
“This was more than a momentary lapse. You were seeking to complete an inherently dangerous manoeuvre. There was excessive speed and you were well over the limit for alcohol. It was driving that created a substantial risk of danger.“
In passing the sentence and banning her from driving for three years, the judge said he accepted her, “untrammelled grief and remorse” the state of her mental health and her “exemplary character.”
