Drink-Driver Kills Mate in 103mph M27 Horror Smash
A reckless drink-driver has been locked up for four years and eight months after a motorway crash claimed the life of his best mate.
Unlicensed Driver’s Deadly High-Speed Crash
Billy Plested, 21, was flying at a shocking 103mph along the M27 near wiltshire999.co.uk/where/portsmouth/" title="Portsmouth" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Portsmouth in June 2016. The unlicensed driver – almost twice over the legal alcohol limit – lost control of his Vauxhall Corsa, flipping it over.
His buddy, 20-year-old Luke Shaw, was a rear passenger. He tragically died from his injuries three days after the smash.
Warning from Police: Don’t Drink and Drive
“Had he just called a taxi or a mate to pick them up, none of this would have happened,” said Sgt Richard Grant from Hampshire’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit. “The consequences of driving drunk or on drugs can be fatal. It’s simply not worth the risk.”
Party Night Ends in Tragedy
- The court heard Plested downed half a litre of spirits and lager, drinking between go-kart races in Gosport.
- Just 30 minutes after leaving the Castle In The Air pub in Fareham, he was dangerously weaving through traffic on the M27.
- Investigators revealed Plested over-steered, crashing into an embankment, overturning and coming to rest after 50 metres.
- Blood tests showed Plested had 147mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood – nearly double the 80mg legal limit.
- At the crash scene, a witness heard Plested say, “I’ve killed my friend.”
Judge Shows No Mercy
Judge Sarah Munro QC sentenced Plested to four years and eight months behind bars. She described Plested’s driving as “arguably dangerous” despite the careless driving charge.
Speaking of Luke Shaw’s family, the judge said: “Their devastation and feeling of emptiness in their lives are hard to overstate.”
In a heartfelt tribute, Luke’s mother, Tracy Pearce, said: “He will always remain in our memories and, most importantly, our hearts.”
