Crash driver's jail term increased

Sara-Jane and Anthony Daowd died in the crash

A drink driver who caused an accident that left a man and his daughter dead had his "unduly lenient" jail term almost doubled on Wednesday.

Another daughter was left permanently paralysed after the crash on the M1 motorway in July 2001.

Luton Crown Court was told in April this year how Nnamdi Megwa had caused the crash when he "probably" fell asleep after drinking with an usher from his wedding.

On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal decided to increase his two-year sentence for the crash to three-and-a-half years.

Two years did not do justice to the seriousness of this offence

Lord Justice Kay

Megwa, a 37-year-old telecommunications engineer, of Haycroft, Luton, was jailed after admitting two counts of causing death by careless driving through excess alcohol.

Anthony Daowd, 49, who ran a furniture business, and his 23-year-old daughter Sara-Jane, a flight attendant, died in the crash.

Sara-Jane's sister, Charmaine Daowd, 22, who was a fitness instructor, suffered spinal injuries that left her permanently paralysed.

Their mother Jane, 46, of Milton Keynes, was driving the family home after a party in London when the accident happened.

The wreck of the Daowd family's Mercedes

She is now providing round-the-clock care for Charmaine.

Megwa listened from the dock as the Court of Appeal increased his sentence following an application by the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith QC that two years was "unduly lenient".

Lord Justice Kay, sitting in London with Mr Justice Colman and Mr Justice Ouseley, said: "We are of the clear view that the sentence of two years did not do justice to the seriousness of this offence."

'Terribly sad'

He said the appropriate sentence would have been four to five years, but he reduced it because Megwa was facing the stress of being sentenced for a second time.

Describing the case as "terribly sad", Lord Justice Kay said that on 14 July last year, Megwa had driven into the rear of the Daowd's Mercedes, just before junction six of the M1.

The level of alcohol in his blood was at least 89 milligrams of alcohol for 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrams.