A man who had been out drinking caused a fatal accident killing a woman who was married only weeks earlier while driving in “absurdly dangerous fashion” on the A1(M) in the early hours.

Kyle Schofield “ploughed” his Volkswagen Golf into the back of a Ford Kuga carrying a family of four without apparently trying to brake, shortly after 1.15am on Sunday May 22.

The Northern Echo:

The collision took place on the northbound carriageway just before the Carrville interchange, near Durham, with the Golf travelling at about 90-miles per hour at the point of impact, causing the Kuga to flip over and land on its side, initially trapping those inside.

Durham Crown Court heard that despite the occupants of the Kuga suffering in some cases very serious injuries, Schofield got out of his damaged Golf, which came to rest on the hard shoulder, and made off from the scene.

Read more: A1(M) County Durham: Woman died in hospital month after crash

He was found by police in a dishevelled, scratched state near Sherburn Village about 75 minutes later.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said Schofield claimed to have been a passenger in a car that was involved in an accident and he was thrown from it, but he told police he could not recall who was driving.

He said his car should still be at his home address and denied any involvement in the collision.

Schofield said he had gone to Durham with friends and took a taxi home.

Mr Sabiston said there was no sign of braking prior to the point of impact.

The court was told the defendant’s phone was recovered the Golf, but Judge James Adkin said it appears that the defendant was not using it at the time of the collision.

A blood alcohol test gave a reading showing twice the amount of alcohol in his system than is permitted for driving.

Mr Sabiston said Catherine Hamilton was a back-seat passenger in the Kuga, along with her mother, Sharon Roxborough, with two other family members in the car being driven from Kent on their way to see a sick relative.

Mrs Hamilton, 27, suffered brain injuries and serious other multiple injuries on impact, while she also went into cardiac arrest due to massive internal bleeding.

She was taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary where she was in sedation for a week.

As she was not responding it was realised there was nothing more that could be done, and she died in the hospital on June 18.

Read more: A1(M) crash: County Durham man admits dangerous driving

Her mother, Mrs Roxborough, suffered a broken leg and two fractured vertebrae.

In her victim impact statement, read to the court, she spoke of her “indescribable pain and grief”, at her daughter’s death.

Other impact statements were read to the court by other family members, including from the deceased’s husband, Callum, who lost his wife of only a few weeks, having known her for ten years.

He said he is receiving counselling as his emotions are, “so up and down”.

Despite his initial denials, the 24-year-old defendant, of Reed Close, Coxhoe, admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and one of failing to stop at the scene of an accident, when he appeared before magistrates, days later.

One of the charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving has since been replaced by one of causing death by dangerous driving, to which the defendant also pleaded guilty at today’s (Monday September 12) hearing.

Chris Knox, who submitted character testimonials to the court from Schofield’s family members and employer, said in mitigation that his initial prevarication was out of confusion, while in drink.

But he said he made admissions at his first court appearance and “deeply regretted” his actions that night, having since shown, “genuine remorse”.

Mr Knox said the offences were, “wholly out of character”.

Judge Adkin told him, however, he had caused the family of Mrs Hamilton, “truly dreadful suffering”, putting those who love her through, “horrifying grief.”

He said: “There was no sense in it. He had been out drinking in town, comes home and gets into his car.”

Judge Adkin told Schofield: “You were driving in an absurdly dangerous fashion”, and, following the collision he told him he behaved in a “cowardly” fashion in leaving the scene without going to the assistance of those he had injured.

Giving a maximum one-third discount to reflect his early guilty pleas, Judge Adkin imposed a five-year prison sentence and banned Schofield from driving for six years upon his release from prison.

Read next: 

                Man arrested after crash on A1(M) near Durham

                A1(M) crash: Huge queues between Chester-le-Street and Washington

                RECAP: A1(M) northbound in County Durham closed

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here