A man who was nearly three times over the drink-driving limit and driving at 141mph when he crashed into a car, killing a baby and his aunt, has been jailed for 17 years and three months.
Darryl Anderson, 38, was driving his Audi Q5 erratically from Newcastle airport after drinking on a flight home from a shortened holiday. He crashed into a Peugeot 308 on the A1 motorway between Chester-le-Street and Durham at about 3.15am on 31 May, killing Karlene Warner, 30, and her eight-month-old nephew, Zackary Blades.
The baby was thrown from his car seat into the opposite carriageway, while his aunt was thrown from the back seat into the front airbag. Both died instantly. The baby's mother, Shalorna Warner, who was driving the Peugeot, suffered minor injuries.
Anderson admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. A photo he took of his speedometer moments before the crash showed he was driving at 141mph, and police found an empty vodka bottle in the wreckage. He was breathalysed at the scene and recorded 95mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, against the legal limit of 35mg.
Judge Joanne Kidd told Anderson he had been playing 'Russian roulette' with the lives of other drivers. Anderson was also banned from driving for 21-and-a-half years after his release. The judge delayed sentencing to allow the grieving relatives time to prepare victim statements.
In tribute, the family described Karlene Warner as a 'bright shining diamond' and said of baby Zackary: 'I'm so sorry you never got to grow up.' Anderson, who is married with a daughter, told officers: 'Sometimes mistakes happen. But I'm not a bad person.'
