Sean Hogan, 46, of Brighton Road, Gateshead, has been sentenced to 17 years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death whilst uninsured, and causing death whilst disqualified. The charges stem from a crash on the A1 in Northumberland that killed Jade Duncan, a 41-year-old mother and grandmother.
Fatal Crash on the A1
The incident occurred on January 28 at Highfields Roundabout in Berwick-upon-Tweed, near the junction with A1167 North Road. Hogan was driving a black Peugeot with Ms Duncan as a front-seat passenger. The vehicle left the road and fell down a grassed embankment. Emergency services pronounced Ms Duncan dead at the scene.
According to prosecutor Omar Ahmad, Ms Duncan had contacted a friend before the crash, fearing for her life. She sent a message saying Hogan was intoxicated and was 'going to kill her.' In a later video call, she could be heard screaming. The court heard that Hogan was more than twice the legal drink-driving limit.
Prior Convictions and Disqualification
Hogan had been banned from driving and was driving a Peugeot that had failed an MOT test on January 22, with numerous faults left unrepaired. He also had no insurance. Just five days before the fatal crash, on January 23, Hogan had been sentenced in Luton Crown Court for five offences, including aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving. He received a suspended prison sentence and a driving disqualification. However, on January 28, he was driving dangerously on the A1, a prolonged episode lasting over an hour before the crash.
Family Tributes and Impact Statements
In court, Ms Duncan's daughter, Raychel Duncan, described the collision as 'entirely preventable.' She said: 'If he had not been driving, this collision would not have happened. Our mum would still be with us today.' She added: 'We lost our mum in a preventable collision and not an accident.'
Ms Duncan's eldest son, Robbie, said: 'Standing here today is something I never imagined I would have to do. Speaking about my mum in the past tense is something I still struggle to accept.' He described his mother as the one everyone turned to for help and advice, and said her loss had 'changed my life forever.' He added: 'What happened was not only tragic but also preventable.'
Mitigation and Sentencing
In mitigation, Richard Herrmann told the court that Hogan had 'genuine remorse' and suffered a life-changing brain injury in the crash, spending a significant period in a coma. He said Hogan wished he could swap places with Ms Duncan. However, Judge Penelope Moreland stated: 'You have caused that family what they describe as unbearable pain. Theirs is a terrible pain, nothing that you could do and nothing that I could do can restore. The responsibility of that lies with you. You took a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road.'
Sentence
Judge Moreland sentenced Hogan to 12 years imprisonment with an extended licence period of 4 years. His previous suspended sentence was activated with 16 months imprisonment, bringing the total sentence to 17 years and four months.
