A family's world was shattered by a drink-fuelled act of recklessness on a Merseyside motorway, leading to a devastating prison sentence for the driver responsible.
A Life of Promise Cut Short
Frankie Smith, a 27-year-old air hostess brimming with excitement for her future, was tragically killed alongside her unborn baby daughter. The horrific collision occurred on the M53 in Wirral, a journey that should have been routine.
The Fateful Night on the M53
Harry Street, 26, was behind the wheel of a powerful Audi S3, travelling at speeds far exceeding the legal limit. Witnesses reported seeing his vehicle being driven erratically and at high speed moments before the crash. In a catastrophic loss of control, Street's Audi careered across the central reservation, colliding head-on with Frankie Smith's Vauxhall Corsa.
Unimaginable Grief for a Family
The impact was fatal. Frankie Smith, who was 19 weeks pregnant with a baby girl she had already named Nancie-Leigh, died at the scene. Her partner, Ben Gazzard, was left to face an unimaginable future, having lost the woman he loved and the child they were eagerly anticipating.
In a heart-wrenching statement read to Liverpool Crown Court, Mr. Gazzard said: "Frankie was my absolute world. She was the most beautiful, kind-hearted person I have ever known. We were so excited to become parents. In one moment, that was all taken away."
A Lengthy Prison Sentence
Harry Street, of Wallasey, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury to another motorist. The court heard he was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit at the time of the crash.
Judge David Aubrey KC condemned Street's "catastrophic and appalling driving," sentencing him to nine years and four months in prison. He was also banned from driving for ten years.
A Warning to Others
This tragic case serves as the starkest possible reminder of the consequences of drink-driving. A moment of irresponsible decision-making has resulted in lifelong sentences of grief for a family and a lengthy prison term for the offender.
