Drink-driver jailed over son's death

William Robson drank four pints of lager before driving

A drink-driving father who killed his six-year-old son in a car crash has been jailed for two and a half years.

Joshua Mahoney died on the eve of his seventh birthday in a car driven by his father William Robson, who had drunk four pints of strong lager before setting out.

Joshua's eight-year-old sister, Collette, was also in the car and received internal injuries.

Joshua died a day before his seventh birthday

Judge Andrew Patience said it had been "madness" for Robson to drive after drinking to such an extent and added that the sentence could not compensate the family for Joshua's loss.

The boy's mother, Tracy Mahoney, said that her former boyfriend should have received a much longer jail term.

Robson, 34, who had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while having excess alcohol in his system, sobbed and shook in the dock at Maidstone Crown Court as he was sentenced.

The case comes as two police forces reported an increase in the number of drink-drive incidents recorded over Christmas.

The court head that Robson, from Ashford, Kent, was driving his friend's Vauxhall Vectra and had the two children in the back, when he crashed into a steel bollard in his home town on 24 March.

He was a six-year-old boy who had everything to look forward to

Tracy Mahoney

Robin Johnson, prosecuting, said the children were wearing seat-belts but Joshua seemed to have slipped his arm out of the shoulder strap, which left him secured only by the lap.

Collette, who suffered internal injuries, was transferred to Guy's Hospital, London.

Judge Andrew Patience said: "The sentence which I am going to pass on you cannot in any way compensate you or Joshua's mother or his family for his loss.

"No value can be placed upon a human life."

'Grief-stricken'

Michael O'Sullivan, defending, said Robson, a machine operator, was grief-stricken by what had happened and would have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life.

He said Robson was driving at 30mph when he was distracted by the children playing in the back. As he looked round to tell them off, they hit the unlit steel bollard.

Mr O'Sullivan added that the crash was "a tragedy for the child and mother that cannot be put into words".

'Deep remorse'

Judge Patience told Robson: "Because this was your son your feelings of remorse are deep, genuine and will be long-lasting. I accept also that this will be on your conscience forever."

He also fined Robson £100 for driving without insurance.

After the sentencing Tracy Mahoney said: "The sentence was not long enough. Would you think it was if it was your child?

"He was a six-year-old boy who had everything to look forward to. In any other country (Robson) would have got 10 years for that.

"He had four pints of strong lager and his main responsibility was the children that night. He had his children in the car having drunk all of that."