Car thief jailed over fatal crash

Police described Witter's actions as "callous" and "reckless"

A drink-driving car thief has been jailed for 12 years for causing the deaths of two women in a car crash.

Janet Herd and Linda Tansley were killed when their Ford Fiesta was struck by a stolen Mercedes driven by Daniel Witter in Bradford in August.

The 23-year-old had admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking and driving over the legal alcohol limit.

A judge at Bradford Crown Court described Witter as "despicable".

Ms Herd, 49, and Ms Tansley, 48, each had two children and were from the Eccleshill area of Bradford.

They were killed as they returned home from a school reunion.

You have sentenced the families to a life of grief. Their courage and dignity emphasises your utter worthlessness Judge Durham Hall

The crash happened near the junction of Apperley Road and Harrogate Road, close to the Stansfield Arms pub, in the Apperley Bridge area on 26 August.

The court heard Witter, of Town Street, Armley, Leeds, had two 15-year-old girls, a pregnant woman and a male friend in the car when it was spotted by a police officer and followed.

The officer reported seeing Witter driving at speeds of up to 80mph and overtaking cars on double white lines and on bends.

At the time of the collision, Witter was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit the Fiesta as it pulled out of a junction.

Witter was also banned from driving for 15 years.

Janet Herd's daughter Jennifer says Witter should never be allowed to drive again

Sentencing him, Judge Durham Hall said: "You are of despicable character and attitude and you put road users at critical risk and of course you took the lives of these two priceless people.

"You have sentenced the families to a life of grief. Their courage and dignity emphasises your utter worthlessness."

The judge asked Witter's list of previous convictions to be read out, saying: "I want the families to know what sort of creature it is that has wiped out their families."

The court heard Witter began offending at the age of 13 and had 27 convictions, including stealing vehicles, drinking and driving, driving without insurance and theft from vehicles.

After the sentencing, Mrs Herd's daughter Jennifer said: "My mother Janet and Linda were two truly lovely, much respected and hard working ladies and their loss has left us all tormented and devastated.

"Words are not sufficient to describe what we all feel as losing them has left a huge hole in our families and lives which can never and will never be filled."