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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Texting death crash woman jailed | Texting death crash woman jailed |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A motorist who sent and received more than 20 text messages before she crashed into another car killing its driver has been jailed for 21 months. | A motorist who sent and received more than 20 text messages before she crashed into another car killing its driver has been jailed for 21 months. |
| Philippa Curtis, 21, from Suffolk, was texting before she hit the back of a stationary car at 70mph on the A40 near Wheatley in Oxfordshire. | Philippa Curtis, 21, from Suffolk, was texting before she hit the back of a stationary car at 70mph on the A40 near Wheatley in Oxfordshire. |
| Victoria McBryde from Northamptonshire, who was dealing with a burst tyre, was killed in the crash in November 2007. | Victoria McBryde from Northamptonshire, who was dealing with a burst tyre, was killed in the crash in November 2007. |
| Curtis, of Bury St Edmunds, was also given a three-year driving ban. | Curtis, of Bury St Edmunds, was also given a three-year driving ban. |
| Judge Julian Hall said it had been "folly and madness" to use a phone while driving and it had been "disastrous" for Curtis, Ms McBryde and her family. | Judge Julian Hall said it had been "folly and madness" to use a phone while driving and it had been "disastrous" for Curtis, Ms McBryde and her family. |
| 'Various calls' | 'Various calls' |
| Curtis, who was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving in December, had told Oxford Crown Court she felt there were times when using a phone while driving was acceptable. | |
| During the trial the defendant, a waitress, said she had been "hyper" as she set off on her two-hour journey on 20 November, 2007. | During the trial the defendant, a waitress, said she had been "hyper" as she set off on her two-hour journey on 20 November, 2007. |
| She had made various calls and sent text messages to a number of friends using predictive text. | She had made various calls and sent text messages to a number of friends using predictive text. |
| Shortly after making a call, her car hit Ms McBryde's parked Peugeot 106, then spun into oncoming traffic, hitting two more vehicles. | Shortly after making a call, her car hit Ms McBryde's parked Peugeot 106, then spun into oncoming traffic, hitting two more vehicles. |
| I can't really describe in words how bad I actually feel Philippa Curtis, defendant | I can't really describe in words how bad I actually feel Philippa Curtis, defendant |
| Ms McBryde, 24, from Horton, who had stopped to deal with a burst tyre, suffered a fatal brain injury in the crash. | Ms McBryde, 24, from Horton, who had stopped to deal with a burst tyre, suffered a fatal brain injury in the crash. |
| Curtis, who suffered an arm injury, spun into oncoming traffic, hit two more vehicles, a white van and an Asda lorry, the court heard. | Curtis, who suffered an arm injury, spun into oncoming traffic, hit two more vehicles, a white van and an Asda lorry, the court heard. |
| She admitted sending text messages while driving, but denied using her mobile phone at the time of the collision. | She admitted sending text messages while driving, but denied using her mobile phone at the time of the collision. |
| "I can't really describe in words how bad I actually feel," Curtis told the court. | "I can't really describe in words how bad I actually feel," Curtis told the court. |
| "I just feel awful that I was involved and I can't really imagine how the family must feel." | "I just feel awful that I was involved and I can't really imagine how the family must feel." |
| Judge Hall said he hoped the case would send out a warning to other drivers not to use their phones when behind the wheel. | Judge Hall said he hoped the case would send out a warning to other drivers not to use their phones when behind the wheel. |