Mobile phone death driver jailed

John Payne, 31, from Chesham, Bucks, hit Trinity Taylor's car as it queued in traffic on the M3 near Basingstoke.

Miss Taylor, from Aldershot, Hampshire, was pronounced dead at the scene, Winchester Crown Court heard.

Payne, who had admitted causing death by dangerous driving, was also banned from driving for seven years.

Six other vehicles were severely damaged in the accident in which Ms Taylor, who looked after her mother full-time, suffered massive chest and head injuries.

In the collision, the lorry rolled over the top of her Peugeot 106.

Payne was arrested at the scene and told police in interview that he did not know why he was punching the keypad of the phone because he did not intend to make a call.

"Anyone wanting an illustration of using mobile phones in a vehicle only has to look at the facts of this case. "
Judge Michael Brodrick

Andy Houston, prosecuting, said that in the minutes before the crash Payne had told his driver's mate, William Fowell, that he wanted to find out how to use the phone, which was in a cradle, and he started punching numbers on the keypad.

In mitigation, Ian Lawrie said Payne was suffering depression and anxiety in the aftermath of the crash, from which he escaped uninjured.

Sentencing Payne, the Recorder of Winchester Judge Michael Brodrick, said: "Anyone wanting an illustration of using mobile phones in a vehicle only has to look at the facts of this case.

"You struck a vehicle driving a 7.5 ton lorry. It ran over the back of it and it was crushed and became half its length and unrecognisable.

"This was because your attention was distracted. You did not see the signs ahead. You did not see the queues ahead."

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Courts Service
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites