Drink-Driver Jailed For Causing Man's Death In St Leonards

A dangerous driver who lost control of his vehicle in a fatal collision in St Leonards has been jailed.

Gary Cornwall accelerated out of the junction of Gillsmans Hill onto The Green and mounted a kerb.

The BMW collided with pedestrian David Evans, 72, from Hastings, who was walking on the pavement and was declared deceased at the scene.

His family described him as a “kind and selfless” man, and said the impact of his death has been “devastating” for them.

Witnesses described the manoeuvre by Cornwall was “reckless” and “out of control”.

At Lewes Crown Court he admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

The court also heard how the 57-year-old, of Woodland Vale Road, St Leonards, was over the legal alcohol limit at the time.

It happened shortly before 10am on June 16, 2022.

Witnesses heard the tyres of the BMW screeching as Cornwall left the junction and appeared to be drifting in the road.

Cornwall denied intentionally drifting but admitted to intentionally accelerating harshly out of the junction.

He failed a roadside breath test.

In custody, more than an hour and half after the incident, he tested positive for 68 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath.

The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Cornwall said he had consumed homemade wine the night before and hadn’t realised he was over the alcohol limit.

There were serious vehicle defects which meant the vehicle was considered to be in a “dangerous” condition, with inoperative power steering, no anti-lock braking, and tyre treads below 1.6mm on the rear tyres.

The court was told how Cornwall also had a previous conviction for drug-driving in 2015.

His Honour Judge Jeremy Gold KC said Cornwall had carried out an “inherently dangerous manoeuvre”.

Cornwall was jailed for four years and eight months, and was disqualified from driving for six years and fours months.

Speaking after the case, Mr Evans’s family said:

“David was a dear brother, brother-in-law, uncle and great uncle, and the impact of his death on our family has been devastating.

“It is very difficult for us to comprehend the fact that David was fatally injured whilst walking on the pavement.

“But the hardest part as a family is living with the grief of knowing that our kind selfless David was taken away from us from one reckless action of an individual which could have been so easily avoided.”

Detective Constable Greg Brown, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said:

“Cornwall was in no fit state to drive a car, and this case shows the tragic consequences of his actions.

“By his own admission he accelerated harshly and lost control of his vehicle.

“He was above the legal alcohol limit, which once again reminds drivers to think carefully about driving the morning after consuming alcohol.

“Drink-driving and drug-driving are among the main factors in why people are seriously injured and killed on our roads every year.

“This case highlights our determination to catch drink-drivers before they cause such devastation to someone else’s family.”