Woman jailed after causing couple’s deaths in A66 crash

A woman has been jailed for killing a couple in road crash after apparently falling asleep at the wheel.

Ellen Charlotte Leslie, 55, caused a three-vehicle collision on the A66 in Cumbria, just before noon on Monday 23 May 2022.

Video footage from a passing vehicle captured the moment Leslie’s vehicle drifted gradually across solid double white lines near Warcop, and into a head-on collision with an oncoming lorry.

The goods vehicle driver had no control, and then collided with a Volkswagen Golf eastbound.

The front seat passenger of the Volkswagen Golf, Christine Goodings, 61, died at the scene. Her husband Steve, the driver, passed away in hospital 24 days later - just three days after his 60th birthday.

Carlisle Crown Court heard that Leslie admitted causing the couple’s deaths by dangerous driving.

She told police afterwards she had “no idea” why the crash occurred, saying she was “devastated” at what happened while maintaining she was not tired at the time.

Judge Nicholas Barker concluded it was “highly likely” that Leslie lost consciousness by falling asleep at the wheel.

Accepting she was responsible for the couple’s deaths, Leslie, now of Hamlet Road, Bromley, told the court: “I certainly am and I’ll live with that for the rest of my life.”

Leslie sat with her head bowed in the dock as impact statements were read by relatives of the Goodings, of Sunderland, who were married for almost four decades.

“On 23rd May, 2022, my family’s world was turned upside down,” said one of their two sons, Steven junior.

He spoke of the tragedy causing “a ripple of grief, stress, worry, anger, confusion and loss that is still as fresh today as the day that I was given the news”.

The couple’s other son, Gareth, said his life and family were “destroyed” on learning of the tragic crash.

“Losing them both in these circumstances is incomprehensible and I will never recover from losing them,” he stated. “I will never overcome this life sentence of grief.”

Judge Barker said of those statements: “The loss for their family is deep and it is profound.” He also said: “This incident has ruptured and torn their lives for ever.”

Jailing Leslie for 28 months, Judge Barker told her: “The court understands that you are not a bad person, though you have done a bad thing which has had truly devastating effects.”

Leslie must serve a five-year driving ban when released from custody. She must pass an extended test before her licence is ever returned.

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