Jail for drink-driver who crashed car through bus stop in Brighton
A university student suffered life-threatening injuries
A drink-driver who caused a university student life-threatening injuries in a crash in Brighton has been jailed.
Emma Roberts was found to be more than three times the legal alcohol limit when she ploughed her Jaguar car into a bus shelter on Lewes Road.
She had also reached 74mph in a 30mph zone second before the impact.
Sussex Police said the crash, which happened at just before midnight on September 6th, 2023, highlights the dangers of drink-driving on the county's roads.
Roberts, who is 43 and of Church Street in Reigate in Surrey, pleaded guilty to causing serious jury by dangerous driving at Lewes Crown Court last month.
Appearing there on October 10th, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison and was disqualified for three years and two months.
What happened?
The court was told how the incident happened at 11.55pm on September 6, 2023.
The victim, a man in his 20s, was waiting for a bus.
He described seeing Roberts’ black Jaguar out of control on the A270, near the junction with Barcombe Road. She was seen swerving in the carriageway.
The victim said the vehicle then swerved towards him leaving him no time to react.
He described waking in hospital in “constant agony” after being in a coma and having to undergo multiple surgeries.
His injuries included a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain, a broken spine, and multiple internal injuries.
Members of the public helped the emergency services with the victim and with Roberts who was described as being intoxicated by the roadside.
In custody Roberts tested positive for 121 microgrammes (uhg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath. The legal limit is 35uhg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Speaking after the case, investigating officer Jade Smith from the Sussex Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit said:
"Roberts was incredibly fortunate that her reckless behaviour did not cause a fatality that night.
"She risked her own safety as well as the safety of the public. So we are pleased that a dangerous driver has been taken off our roads.
"We are determined to catch dangerous drivers, and this case should act as a warning to others about the dangers of drink driving and driving at excessive speed."