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| Death crash footballer is jailed | Death crash footballer is jailed |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A professional footballer has been jailed for seven years and four months for causing the deaths of two children by dangerous driving. | |
| Former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick, 25, admitted causing the deaths of Arron Peak, 10, and Ben Peak, eight, and driving with excess alcohol. | Former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick, 25, admitted causing the deaths of Arron Peak, 10, and Ben Peak, eight, and driving with excess alcohol. |
| The brothers, from Partington, Greater Manchester, died in a crash on the M6 in Staffordshire on 7 June. | The brothers, from Partington, Greater Manchester, died in a crash on the M6 in Staffordshire on 7 June. |
| McCormick entered his guilty pleas at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court earlier. | McCormick entered his guilty pleas at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court earlier. |
| 'Fell asleep' | 'Fell asleep' |
| The court heard that when breathalysed McCormick, who had been returning from a wedding, was found to have 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. | The court heard that when breathalysed McCormick, who had been returning from a wedding, was found to have 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. |
| The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.Friends and relatives of the Peak family were at the court | The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.Friends and relatives of the Peak family were at the court |
| The brothers and their father Philip Peak, 37, were in a Toyota Previa with friends, travelling to Silverstone racetrack, when the crash happened. | The brothers and their father Philip Peak, 37, were in a Toyota Previa with friends, travelling to Silverstone racetrack, when the crash happened. |
| Their car was involved in a collision with McCormick's Range Rover at about 0545 BST on the southbound carriageway of the motorway between junctions 15 and 16, near Keele services. | Their car was involved in a collision with McCormick's Range Rover at about 0545 BST on the southbound carriageway of the motorway between junctions 15 and 16, near Keele services. |
| Mr Peak, 37, who was driving, was seriously injured in the crash. | Mr Peak, 37, who was driving, was seriously injured in the crash. |
| McCormick kept his head bowed and covered his face with his hand as the court heard he had told eyewitnesses at the crash scene: "I am so sorry, I'm sorry. I just fell asleep. I fell asleep, I'm sorry." | McCormick kept his head bowed and covered his face with his hand as the court heard he had told eyewitnesses at the crash scene: "I am so sorry, I'm sorry. I just fell asleep. I fell asleep, I'm sorry." |
| Before the accident other motorists noticed him "driving like an idiot" and estimated his speed at around 90mph (144km/h). | Before the accident other motorists noticed him "driving like an idiot" and estimated his speed at around 90mph (144km/h). |
| McCormick, a former England youth international, had his contract with Championship side Plymouth cancelled by mutual consent a month after the crash. | |
| 'Hopes shattered' | 'Hopes shattered' |
| In a victim impact statement the boys' parents, Philip and Amanda Peak, said their lives had been "shattered" by the accident. | In a victim impact statement the boys' parents, Philip and Amanda Peak, said their lives had been "shattered" by the accident. |
| "All our hopes and dreams for the future have been taken away from us," they said. | "All our hopes and dreams for the future have been taken away from us," they said. |
| In mitigation, John Jones told the court McCormick had become introverted and suffered nightmares after the crash. | In mitigation, John Jones told the court McCormick had become introverted and suffered nightmares after the crash. |
| "He was a professional footballer with a potentially glittering future. | "He was a professional footballer with a potentially glittering future. |
| "His career would have developed, the rewards in every sense of the word, would be limitless." | "His career would have developed, the rewards in every sense of the word, would be limitless." |
| That was lost forever and McCormick is a shadow of his former self, he added. | That was lost forever and McCormick is a shadow of his former self, he added. |
| 'Speed and alcohol' | |
| After the hearing, the boys' family issued a statement telling of their disappointment that McCormick could be eligible for parole after serving three and a half years of his sentence. | |
| "We find it offensive that in court, people spoke of the effect this had on Luke. | |
| "We will carry the scars of this forever," they said. | |
| Sgt Steve Robinson of the Central Motorway Police Group, said McCormick had nearly collided with several people before the crash took place. | |
| "I am shocked at the speed and the alcohol," he said. | "I am shocked at the speed and the alcohol," he said. |
| "If he had only stopped, this tragedy could have been avoided." | "If he had only stopped, this tragedy could have been avoided." |