Drink-driver, 63, jailed after killing elderly couple in Derby crash

A 63-year-old woman has been jailed after she drove over the drink-drive limit and killed an elderly couple.

Great grandparents William and Christine Line, who are both in their 80s were killed in the crash in Derby, while Jane Hunter-Priestley suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital.

The couple were driving home from a shopping trip and were stopped at traffic lights when Hunter-Priestly failed to stop at a give way sign and crashed into their Jaguar on Nottingham Road in Chaddesden on 13 June 2023.

She was seen on CCTV leaving her home on Highfield Lane in her Ford Mondeo just moments before the crash, and accelerating as she approached the junction with Nottingham Road.

The force of the impact pushed the Jaguar up the curb and into a wall.

Christine died at the scene, while William was taken to hospital where he died shortly after.

'You took my parents' life and you've ruined mine.'

Their son David said: "On Tuesday 13 June 2023 my world ended as it was. I was told that both my parents had been killed in a car accident on Nottingham Road, Chaddesden.

"The emotions I felt when told is indescribable. You have no idea the pain I went through at that moment and since, my life really won’t be the same again.

"This did not need to happen, however Jane Hunter-Priestley chose to get into her car knowing she had alcohol in her system.

"You cannot imagine the pain you have caused. You took my parents' life and you’ve ruined mine. It will never be the same.

"You deserve nothing more than a lengthy prison sentence. You must never drive again, you don’t deserve anything.

"You will carry on with your life but you took part of mine away and I will never ever forgive you for killing my beloved parents."

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A blood sample taken at hospital showed Hunter-Priestley was over the drink-drive limit.

Derbyshire Police said an expert back calculation suggested that at the time of the crash, she was likely to have been more than double the limit.

She admitted causing death by dangerous driving and has been sentenced to eight years in jail.

She has also been banned from driving for 15 years.

Detective Constable Scott Cooper said: “Billy and Christine Line were returning home from a shopping trip when this collision occurred and their lives were suddenly ended in the most horrific and tragic way.

“The couple, who were both in their 80s, had been together for more than 60 years and were loving parents, grand-parents and great grandparents.

“The selfish and deeply irresponsible actions of Hunter-Priestley who chose to get behind the wheel despite knowing that she was well over the drink drive limit have completely devastated the family of Billy and Christine, who now have to deal with the loss of their loved ones every single day.

“This collision could so easily have been avoided if Hunter-Priestley had done the right thing and not got behind the wheel of a car when she had been drinking.

“I hope that this sentence will serve as a reminder to people of the very real consequences drink-driving can and does have.”

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