Drink-driver Michael York killed passengers Matthew Brown and Samuel Turner after losing control of his car
A mother hugged her son's killer moments before he was jailed for causing his death by drink driving and even offered words of comfort, telling him 'you can get through this'.
Mandie Brown embraced defendant Michael York who was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he crashed his car, killing her son Matthew Brown and friend Samuel Turner, who were passengers.
Before he was sentenced, Mandie, who is Matthew's mother told York: 'Don't worry. Whatever happens, you can get through this.'
York, 20, went out for a 12 hour drinking session before getting behind the wheel of the car and wept loudly throughout the hearing before being jailed for five years.
Mandie, from Sapcote in Leicestershire, said: 'I do not blame Michael at all. I hugged him and told him not to worry.
'What happened was that four friends went out together and had a good time.
'Michael should not have driven and the other lads, including my son, should not have got into the car.
'I do not in any way condone drink-driving but I am not judging Michael and I do not want anyone else to or be angry at him.
'He apologised to my face after the accident. I know he and his family are hurting.'
Another passenger, William Turner, Samuel's brother, survived the accident, which happened after York had drunk 26 units of alcohol.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Hammond, said: 'This was an avoidable crash. These two young men need not have been killed. You should have never, ever have got behind the wheel of a car.'
Prosecuting, Andrew Vout said York started drinking with his friends at around 5.45pm, on October 21, 2011, where he drank between four and six pints of lager.
He then drove to a second pub where he had three or four more pints, before visiting two Leicester nightclubs where he drank sambuca shots and more beer.
CCTV footage showed York returning to his car in a near-by car park at 6.12am.
Mr Vout added: 'It shows Mr York unsteady on his feet. Mr York had some difficulty manoeuvring the car out of the car park.'
The fatal crash happened shortly after York got into the vehicle, and it is believed the driver steered to avoid a bollard before losing control of the vehicle, and ploughing into a tree.
Tragedy: Flowers at the scene of the accident where the
two victims were killed
Matthew, 23, and Samuel, 18, both from Stoney Stanton, Leics, were in the rear seats, were killed, while front passenger William Turner, suffered a broken collar bone. York was also injured.
York pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of causing death by careless driving.
Blood tests taken at the hospital revealed York would have had around 208mg of alcohol in 100ml of his blood at time - almost three times the legal limit of 80mg.
In mitigation, Kevin Lynch said York was genuinely remorseful.
Mr Lynch said: 'He will punish himself for a great deal longer than any sentence given by this court. His actions, and the consequences of this action, will stay with my client for the rest of his life.'
He said York, who had tried to kill himself since the accident, had a six-month-old daughter from a previous relationship, and his current girlfriend was four months pregnant.
Judge Hammond ordered York to spend two five-year prison sentences behind bars, to run concurrently, and he was banned from driving for five years.
He said: 'It should have been obvious to anyone that with that much drink, you should not have gone anywhere near that car.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2157550/Mother-hugs-sons-drink-drive-killer-extraordinary-act-forgiveness-despite-hearing-downed-10-PINTS-shots-getting-wheel-car.html#ixzz1xZt27z65
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