A hit-and-run driver has been jailed for killing a pedestrian on his way home from a night out in Torquay. Anne-Marie Kennedy, was driving a VW Golf on Barton Hill Road that hit Nathan Lee causing catastrophic and fatal injuries.

Kennedy was speeding at the time and not wearing glasses, despite warnings in the past that she should do so. There was cocaine in her system and she had never even passed a driving test.

After colliding with Mr Lee she drove away, returning on foot to see emergency services at the roadside trying to save the dying man's life. She gave herself in the following day.

Mr Lee's family were in court on Friday to see Kennedy, aged 29, sentenced for causing death by careless driving and multiple other motoring offences relating to the same incident. They read victim personal statement setting out the devastation caused to their lives by Kennedy's driving.

Mr Lee, a former Met Police officer, was just minutes away from his parents home. A few moments before his death he spoke to his mother and father to say he would be home soon and that he loved them. They described him as a devoted son, brother, father and uncle - a "rock" to the family and "lighthouse in a storm".

Kennedy, of Moor Lane Close, Torquay, was jailed for six and a half years by Judge Anna Richardson at Exeter Crown Court. She said: "The ramifications of what you did are huge. There is no sentence I can pass that can change any of that."

The fatal collision happened on May 1, 2022. Mr Lee was making his way home at 12:15am when he was hit after stepping into the road. The speed at which Kennedy was travelling reduced her reaction time and led to him receiving more serious injuries, the court heard.

Kennedy drove on but others came to the injured man's aid and an ambulance was called. Medics tried to save his life but he later died in hospital.

Police issued an appeal for witnesses and Kennedy handed herself in the next day, but not before getting behind the wheel again and abandoning her car.. She admitted to police that she was the driver and hadn't been wearing glasses. She did not accept she was speeding but was convicted by a jury after a trial in November.

The trial heard she had been driving to the shops with a friend in the passenger seat when the collision happened. Less than 24 hours earlier she had taken cocaine.

Mr Lee's family read tearful victim statements to the court. His father said what happened that night had changed their lives forever.

He asked: "How can someone just leave my son alone after knowing what they'd done?" He said Nathan had spoken to his parents on his way home and declined a lift saying he was only 20 minutes away. His final words were "I love you very much, mum."

"He was like a lighthouse in a storm, always bright. Basically a rock to our family." His death has left a dark void in the family and he wishes he could change places with his son.

"Once she has completed her sentence she gets to go home," he said. "My sentence is for life as I will never be able to see my Nathan again."

The family said Nathan had been a police sergeant with the Met Police for 23 years, receiving multiple commendations for bravery and dedication during his long public service.

His brother, Simon, was preparing to celebrate his own wedding anniversary on the morning police officers arrived to tell him his big brother had been killed. Since then his thoughts have been on a loop, encountering daily remainders of what happened. He said the family had seen no signs of remorse from Kennedy, only self-pity

He said the family's anger and trauma only increased knowing Kennedy should never have been behind the wheel in the first place.

Nathan's niece, Hannah Walsh, described Kennedy's actions as "selfish". She has endured seeing the defendant walking about the streets for 18 months while the case was waiting to come to court.

"Why didn't she stop and help him? Why didn't she call 999? Why did she get behind the wheel? It was bad enough she didn't have a licence but to be under the influence of drugs. She chose to break the law that night and no sentence will be enough."

Kennedy was convicted the jury of causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit, without a licence and while uninsured. She also admitted driving when her eyesight did not comply with requirements, failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

Mr Kevin Hopper, defending, said Kennedy, a mum-of-two, was sorry for her actions. She also has PTSD and anxiety. He said speed was one of the causes of the accident but so was Mr Lee walking out into the road.

Judge Richardson said apart from the speed Kennedy's driving that evening had been satisfactory. She accepted the defendant was remorseful.

Kennedy will serve half of her sentence in custody. She was disqualified from driving for eight years and three months.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/cocaine-driver-jailed-killing-much-9045375

On 19/01/2024 05:17 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> A hit-and-run [unlicenced] driver [ie, just a chav-cyclist and nothing more than that] has been jailed for killing a pedestrian on his way home from a night out in Torquay. Anne-Marie Kennedy, was "driving" a VW Golf on Barton Hill Road that hit Nathan Lee causing catastrophic and fatal injuries.
> Kennedy was speeding at the time and not wearing glasses, despite warnings in the past that she should do so. There was cocaine in her system and she had *never* even *passed* a *driving test*.
> After colliding with Mr Lee she drove away, returning on foot to see emergency services at the roadside trying to save the dying man's life. She gave herself in the following day.
> Mr Lee's family were in court on Friday to see Kennedy, aged 29, sentenced for causing death by careless driving and multiple other motoring offences relating to the same incident. They read victim personal statement setting out the devastation caused to their lives by Kennedy's driving.
> Mr Lee, a former Met Police officer, was just minutes away from his parents home. A few moments before his death he spoke to his mother and father to say he would be home soon and that he loved them. They described him as a devoted son, brother, father and uncle - a "rock" to the family and "lighthouse in a storm".
> Kennedy, of Moor Lane Close, Torquay, was jailed for six and a half years by Judge Anna Richardson at Exeter Crown Court. She said: "The ramifications of what you did are huge. There is no sentence I can pass that can change any of that."
> The fatal collision happened on May 1, 2022. Mr Lee was making his way home at 12:15am when he was hit after stepping into the road. The speed at which Kennedy was travelling reduced her reaction time and led to him receiving more serious injuries, the court heard.
> Kennedy drove on but others came to the injured man's aid and an ambulance was called. Medics tried to save his life but he later died in hospital.
> Police issued an appeal for witnesses and Kennedy handed herself in the next day, but not before getting behind the wheel again and abandoning her car. She admitted to police that she was the driver and hadn't been wearing glasses. She did not accept she was speeding but was convicted by a jury after a trial in November.
> The trial heard she had been driving to the shops with a friend in the passenger seat when the collision happened. Less than 24 hours earlier she had taken cocaine.
> Mr Lee's family read tearful victim statements to the court. His father said what happened that night had changed their lives forever.
> He asked: "How can someone just leave my son alone after knowing what they'd done?" He said Nathan had spoken to his parents on his way home and declined a lift saying he was only 20 minutes away. His final words were "I love you very much, mum."
> "He was like a lighthouse in a storm, always bright. Basically a rock to our family." His death has left a dark void in the family and he wishes he could change places with his son.
> "Once she has completed her sentence she gets to go home," he said. "My sentence is for life as I will never be able to see my Nathan again."
> The family said Nathan had been a police sergeant with the Met Police for 23 years, receiving multiple commendations for bravery and dedication during his long public service.
> His brother, Simon, was preparing to celebrate his own wedding anniversary on the morning police officers arrived to tell him his big brother had been killed. Since then his thoughts have been on a loop, encountering daily remainders of what happened. He said the family had seen no signs of remorse from Kennedy, only self-pity
> He said the family's anger and trauma only increased knowing Kennedy should never have been behind the wheel in the first place.
> Nathan's niece, Hannah Walsh, described Kennedy's actions as "selfish". She has endured seeing the defendant walking about the streets for 18 months while the case was waiting to come to court.
> "Why didn't she stop and help him? Why didn't she call 999? Why did she get behind the wheel? It was bad enough she *didn't* *have* a *licence* but to be under the influence of drugs. She chose to break the law that night and no sentence will be enough."
> Kennedy was convicted the jury of causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit, *without* a *licence* and while *uninsured*. She also admitted driving when her eyesight did not comply with requirements, failing to stop and failing to report an accident.
> Mr Kevin Hopper, defending, said Kennedy, a mum-of-two, was sorry for her actions. She also has PTSD and anxiety. He said speed was one of the causes of the accident but so was Mr Lee walking out into the road.
> Judge Richardson said apart from the speed Kennedy's driving that evening had been satisfactory. She accepted the defendant was remorseful.
> Kennedy will serve half of her sentence in custody. She was disqualified from driving for eight years and three months.

> https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/cocaine-driver-jailed-killing-much-9045375

QUOTE: She did not accept she was speeding but was convicted by a jury after a trial in November. ENDS

AND

QUOTE: Mr Kevin Hopper, defending, said speed was one of the causes of the "accident" ENDS

Fancy having a Mr Arsehole that contradicts the main tenet of you own defence.
No matter - SIX AND A HALF YEARS IN JAIL.

On 19/01/2024 07:07 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> QUOTE: She did not accept she was speeding but was convicted by a jury after a trial in November. ENDS
>
> AND
>
> QUOTE: Mr Kevin Hopper, defending, said speed was one of the causes of the "accident" ENDS

There is no dissonance there, M'Lud.

One reference is to the trial (resulting in a conviction) and the other
is to the sentencing phase, where mitigation was required.

Fancy a learned lawyer like you not realising [sorry - four syllables] that!

> Fancy having a Mr Arsehole that contradicts the main tenet of you own defence.
> No matter - SIX AND A HALF YEARS IN JAIL.

How does it feel for you, M'Lud, knowing that you so consistently wrong
about more or less everything?

QUOTE: Kennedy was speeding at the time and not wearing glasses. ENDS

Speeding and blind - what could possibly go wrong?
You have 6.5 years in jail to think about that puzzle.