Your Oxfordshire
Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email »
Teenage death-crash driver jailed
9:02pm Tuesday 12th August 2008
A teenager who killed a grandmother after crashing his faulty van on a dangerous bend wept as he was jailed for two years.
Lewis Jackson, 19, lost control of his work van on the B4508 between Hatford and Gainfield, near Faringdon, and swerved into the path of a Peugeot being driven by pensioner Doreen Swift.
Mrs Swift, 79, who lived in Buckland with her husband of 60 years, Joseph, was killed instantly in the crash at 9.30am on October 31 last year.
At Oxford Crown Court on Monday, Jackson, of William Street, Swindon, was jailed after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.
Amjad Malik, prosecuting, said: "This collision is the result of the defendant driving a heavily-laden, faulty vehicle at speeds which were just too fast for this road.
"It is, in addition, a failure to take heed and to slow through a sharp bend where the collision occurred."
Mr Malik said collision investigators had calculated that the maximum speed the bend could have been safely travelled was 40mph and that Jackson was going between 44mph and 54mph at the time.
He said the 3.5-tonne van Jackson was driving was laden with tyres and had a slow puncture with a pressure of 18 pounds per square inch, much less than the recommended pressure.
And he said another driver reported a near miss with Jackson just moments before the crash which killed Mrs Swift.
Mr Malik added Mrs Swift, whose family was in court to watch the sentencing, was a much-loved mother and grandmother.
Peter Du Feu, defending, said Jackson was an inexperienced driver who had passed his test only months earlier at the fourth attempt.
He said: "From the very moment this happened, my client's thoughts have been nowhere except with Mrs Swift's family. He accepts responsibility."
Mr Du Feu said Jackson had taken the tyre delivery job to earn money to go to college and could not remember the earlier near miss.
He added residents believed the bend was dangerous and since the crash, new road markings had been put there.
Jailing Jackson for two years and banning him from driving for four years, Judge Julian Hall said: "As you realise, this is a total tragedy for Mrs Swift's family, in particular for her husband. He spent three-quarters of his life of 80 years with her.
"They survived together the hazards of middle life and were looking forward to a healthy old age. That has been taken away from him and their children.
"What sticks in my throat is the earlier incident. If you did not remember it, you should have done, because it is not the sort of thing people forget."
Your Say YourOxfordshire
Chris Swift, Buckland says...
9:06am Wed 13 Aug 08
Graham, Wantage says...
10:38am Wed 13 Aug 08
It was a B-road, so the limit would either have been 60mph or 50mph.
It was a bend, a sharp bend, for which any experienced driver would have slowed down to below 40mph.
This idiot went slashing round it at between 44-54mph the police said, so say at 50mph, in a heavily laden van, having already had a "near miss" with another motorist.
And in doing so, he killed someone.
He had not long passed his test "at the fourth attempt". Fourth!! Blimey, just how bad a driver was he? Anyone who takes four goes to pass a driving test should not be considered a competent driver, and should certainly not get a job as a driver!! What idiot employed him? He should have taken a job stacking shelves, and should have been out practising his driving every evening, with an experienced friend to help him.
Don't they teach common sense in families, any more?
In my opinion, he deserves to be banned for four years, and I hope that he will be compelled to take extra training at the end of that period: my only issue (with apologies and respect to Mr Swift and his family) is in him being jailed for two years, and only on the technicality that he didn't INTEND to kill Mrs Swift. It could be argued that it wasn't intentional, and I am sure that he will suffer all his life from the knowledge that he has killed someone, and a much-loved elderly lady, at that.
However, the Swifts deserve a level of vindication for their loss, as well as being assured that he won't be allowed out on the road for at least two years. If it was my grandmother who had been killed, I would consider two years in jail to be a minimum.
Soapbox aside, my thoughts are with the Swift family at this time.
BW, Abingdon says...
12:38pm Wed 13 Aug 08
Graham, Wantage says...
5:53pm Wed 13 Aug 08
Cultivated engine sympathy and mechanical knowledge, have always kept all my vehicles well maintained, and have driven sensibly ever since.
Self righteous? Oh yes, and proud of it. I have never had a prang that was my fault (spent 6 months on crutches due to someone else driving without due care and attention) and even when still a teenager, I was sensible without being boring. And before you shoot me down in flames, I do not crawl around at annoying low speeds, nor do I take forever to pull out, nor do I play silly games annoying other drivers by overtaking impatiently, or tailgating, or trying to intimidate them into driving the way I want them to.
And for your information, we are allowed the privilege of making comments here precisely so that opinions can be expressed. If my opinions come over as "judgements" then so be it, that's the way I write: you will note that I used the phrase "in my opinion" so that other readers would know that I appreciate that not everyone will agree with me.
Do you think it's right for an 18-year old who struggled to pass the driving test (if he's 19 now and it happened last year...) to take a job driving a van??
Simon, Hungerford says...
8:01pm Wed 13 Aug 08
BW, Abingdon says...
12:03pm Thu 14 Aug 08
the last thing I need is some self righteous p***k calling me chum. I'm sure you are the area's best driver never had an accident but caused plenty!
Dave, Faringdon says...
2:59pm Thu 14 Aug 08
Ringo, oxon says...
5:47pm Thu 14 Aug 08
2 years was no way near enough time behind bars for such an idiotic driver who didn't even take time to make sure his vehicle was road worthy.
Dave i agree and that should be a minimum!
BW, Abingdon says...
11:05pm Thu 14 Aug 08
Graham, Wantage says...
7:39am Fri 15 Aug 08
You annoyed me with your self-righteous and insulting comment, but that does not make it right for me to respond in an insulting manner.
I didn't say I'd never had an accident, I've had 3, one of which was pretty serious, but none of which was my fault. And to the very best of my knowledge I have NEVER caused an accident, so please keep that sort of comment to yourself.
Straw poll of the responses to this report indicates that most people agree that this bad driver deserved what he got.
Why are you defending him so much? Is he your "mate" then? Failed your test four times, did you? Was he really an "inexperienced lad" or was he indeed an "bolshy chav"?
Interesting that no-one has come on here to present his side of the story.
BW, abingdon says...
12:34pm Fri 15 Aug 08
Graham, Wantage says...
12:57pm Fri 15 Aug 08
I also was knocked off my motorbike by an "experienced" small van driver. So we have something in common after all.
As well as the amount of licences we have! (I also have the IAM Advanced licence, but let's not start one-up-manship!)
So to get back to the story: this teenager made a mistake and it caused a tragic death, not to mention the guilt he will feel for the rest of his life. Let's hope he spends his two years of free board and lodging studying, eh?
Lessons to be learned, anyone?
I'd still like to know what idiot hired an inexperienced driver and threw him into a "heavily-laden" van.
nowhere, wantage says...
3:55pm Fri 15 Aug 08
Graham, Wantage says...
5:20pm Fri 15 Aug 08
Just about everything depends on having a car these days: independence, self-esteem (I'm talking about the youngsters, here, folks) a job, socialising: I'd certainly hate to be without my own transport.
If an examiner failed a person for being - for example - too short to see properly/too fat to turn and look over their shoulder properly/too foreign to understand the driving instructions/too cocky/too nervous/ etc etc etc, then they'd be open to allegations of discrimination. This must weigh in their minds when testing people, don't you think?
In my opinion - only mine, don't shoot me! - this is why in London, where I'm from, an awful lot of tiny ethnic women are allowed to drive, when they can barely see over the wheel, and can barely speak english, let alone prove that they can read the road signs, and they are in my opinion as a driver, manifestly unfit to be on the road.
Round here, we don't have that problem, but as Mr Nowhere (why on earth can't you give a name? We can't see you, you know) says, we're all aware of the number of very young people writing their cars off. Sorry lads, but it is mostly young men.
Why is that?
Kids today grow up being driven around from birth: you'd think they'd absorb road discipline, suitable speeds, hazard appreciation etc over all their teen years: I've certainly spent a lot of my adulthood "training" teenage passengers to call out hazards as they spot them, to be aware of current speed limits etc. Don't parents do that any more?
Also, having a car is taken for granted now, it's not like it's an unexpected treat that might go to someone's head: so why do they suddenly go mad and drive like idiots the minute they get one of their own?
The exception to all this has to be the lads who "pimp" their rides, I sincerely applaud their efforts, and in my experience they don't take risks as they don't want to damage their paintwork! OK they are loud, but I can live with that.
Jennifer Devine, Swindon says...
9:02pm Sat 16 Aug 08
I hope that they are proud of them selves to put a good decent man in prison he has never been in any trouble before has always been a decent boy looking after his young sister and family regularly - but if they would prefer to put my lewis in prison for a slow puncture and **** road signs excuse my french than a rapist of a murderer and moan that prison are full then what is this world coming to! This will be with him for the rest of his life as it is.
This hasnt just ruined his life i have been off work with stress i cant sleep and his family are so distressed we have lost our appartment because i cant afford it on my own.
I know i will get him back in my life after this and i know nothing i say or do get the dear life of Mrs Swift back but if he comes out of prison a differnt man and completely messed up i will never ever! have respect for the law system again!
i hope that putting a man in prison who was just trying to make money and had a puncture in his tyre in prison has made them feel like they have got justice!!!
So dont you dare!! say that he is a idiot you dont even know him and to judge him makes you an IDIOT! because he is a good man the best thing that has ever happened to me and i think you should be out there talking to the people who are on the street getting ASBO's and drink driving with no remorse! which he WAS NOT DOING! never has! my thoughts and prayer are with him everyday because i know he cant handle in in there for one and only reason
HE IS NOT A CRIMINAL!!!!!!!!!!
BW, Abingdon says...
6:42pm Sun 17 Aug 08
aNNON, oxfordshire says...
7:34pm Wed 20 Aug 08
if it was a works van surely it was up to the owner of the van to check if it was road worthy.
i expect this will taunt the poor driver for the rest of his life and although it won't bring the lady back it is not as if he set out to go and kill someone.
young thugs with knives get less punishment than this !
someonenear, swindon says...
7:29pm Tue 26 Aug 08
qwertyu, Wiltshire says...
2:58pm Sun 14 Sep 08
ly family orientated young boy who only took the job in the first place to fund his college plans and promising future with his girlfriend.He was going 5-10mph over the limit - hardly deserving a 2year sentence.I know of people beating people up,burglars and even peadophiles who have got less.Fair enough - ban him from driving...even for the rest of his life if need be, but to say that Lewis deserves to be imprisoned away from his family and friends for 2 years is no other word than 'sick'.It has completely destroyed not only his family, but his girlfriend and grandparents who are at an age where they may now never see him again. If any of you pathetic shallow minded people knew Lewis, BELIEVE ME, you would NOT be writing this now. My thoughts are with Lewis and his family just as much as they are with the family of the lady who got killed.It is a very sad fact of life, but unfortunately true - Accidents do happen. Putting Lewis behind bars is not going to solve or help ANYTHING for ANYONE.
Your sayYourOxfordshire
Add your comment
Register for a FREE Herald Series account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.
Please register now or sign in below to continue.
Doreen and Joseph Swift on their golden wedding anniversary
In this section
- Fundraising football pays off
- Scalding bath unsafe, inquest told
- Online bid to shame puppy thieves
- Dogs help in drugs crackdown
- Fall death OAP had got cancer all-clear
- Councils invested up to collapse
- Massive recycling centres proposed
- Anger over JR admissions
- 75 county people on BNP roster
- Five held on hare coursing charges
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
saddletramp, wantage says...
5:12am Wed 13 Aug 08
but was a drug addict trying to kick the habit and bring up his seven kids on income support
housing benefit and everything else he could get had been drinking and showed no remorse he would have got 200 hours community work been fined £1.50 and a slap on the wrist.
Dont wish to upset the family of the bereaved
but two years for driving 44mph in a 40 limit
with a slow puncture?