Disqualified motorist jailed for double drink-drive killing

A disqualified driver who killed two women by driving into them while he was drunk and on drugs was jailed for eight years yesterday.

Scott Nicholls was twice the legal alcohol limit and had traces of drugs in his system at the time of the crash, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Emma Harold, 26, and Kate Wasyluk, 25, were killed instantly while Emma's sister Rebecca, who was also hit by the car, was left with life-changing injuries.

Mr Nicholls, 20, of Cawston, Norfolk, pleaded guilty to causing the deaths when his car mounted the pavement and hit them as they were walking home from a night out in Ipswich, Suffolk, during the early hours of February 21 this year.

Rebecca Harold, who has been using a wheelchair since the crash, wept when Mr Nicholls pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

The court heard how he had been disqualified from driving for 36 months in 2007 for driving without insurance.

Prosecuting, Godfried Duah said that Mr Nicholls had been at a birthday party on the evening of February 20. He took the keys of his brother's Citroen Saxo and went to another property where he picked up a girl and set off in the car again.

Mr Duah said he drove down a residential street at about 50mph and overtook a car on the wrong side of the road.

He said the vehicle clipped the kerb and Mr Nicholls lost control of the car, colliding with a garden wall.

The crash resulted in the instant death of Miss Harold and Miss Wasyluk, who were walking along the pavement.

When police arrested Mr Nicholls his blood was tested and traces of ecstasy and heroin were found. He was also twice the drink-drive limit.

Glen Harold, the father of Emma and Rebecca, made a statement which was read out by lawyers in court.

He wrote: "Something a father should never have to do is to go to hospital and identify his daughter to the police.