A speeding drink driver was jailed for five years and three months on Friday, November 27, 2020, after a head-on crash that killed a man and left his mother with life-changing injuries.
TJ Sam Quirke, now 28, lost control of a friend’s Mercedes and hit a Honda Civic, travelling in the opposite direction.
The Honda driver Winston Chau, 36, from Luton was driving his mother Tu Chau back from his niece’s birthday party, when the crash happened at just before 10pm on the A5138 St Albans Road, Redbourn on Saturday, May 12, 2018.
Prosecutor Corinne Bramwell told St Albans Crown Court that Mr Chau, who worked for easyJet as a Cabin Crew Training Planning Officer, was pronounced dead at the scene.
His mother was taken in a coma to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. She suffered multiple fractures and damage to vital organs. Two and a half years after the crash she still needs more surgery and has a been unable to return to work as a cleaner.
Quirke of Down Edge, Redbourn appeared for sentencing having pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while above the alcohol limit and having no insurance.
Ms Bramwell said it was dark at that time and there was a light drizzle. Mr Chau and his mother were travelling north, coming home from his niece’s 3rd birthday party. Quirke was driving the car’s owner to St Albans to buy a takeaway.
CCTV from a garage showed the Mercedes ‘fishtailed’ as it went around a roundabout. Quirke then accelerated to beaten 65 to 72 mph in a 30mph zone as it passed the Shell garage.
At the time of the impact the Mercedes was travelling between 43 and 53mph, causing the Honda to spin 180 degrees.
Paramedics could smell alcohol on Quirke’s breath, but he claimed he was not the driver and had been sitting in the back seat. When arrested he first told the officers: “I weren’t driving”, maintaining he had been in the rear seat, although there had been a child seat there.
A blood test was taken from him at hospital. When it was “back calculated” his alcohol level was between 86 to 150. The legal limit is 80.
Quirke, who worked as a refuse driver for St Albans council, requested a second interview on June 29, 2018. He accepted he was the driver and said he had only had half a measure of Jack Daniels and Coke.
When the car was examined the tread on the rear tyres was so low they were illegal, said the prosecutor.
In a statement read to the court Mrs Chau said: “I wish it me that died and not Winston. He was so young and had so much to offer. No words can describe my pain. “
She said he brought “laughter” to her family and home.
Ruth Becker,defending, said: “He (Quirke) has repeatedly expressed his desire to apologise either face to face or in writing to the family. He left a card and flowers at scene of the incident on the anniversary.”
She said the father of three had no previous convictions and had not driven since.
Judge Stephen Warner told him: “Your driving was highly dangerous with a tragic outcome for which you are entirely responsible
“It was compounded by the fact that you had been drinking. “
The judge went on to say: “No sentence can adequately reflect the needless loss or life nor the devastating effect on Mr Chau’s family and friends.”
He sentenced him to five years three months in jailed, banned him from driving for a total of 87 months and said he must take an extended retest before he regains a licence.
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