Two 'hot hatch' drivers who killed a mother by racing down a country lane in the Forest of Dean have been jailed for more than 15 years. Tom Hill, 32, and Lyndon Parsons, 26, were racing along the B4228 in Sling when Hill lost control of his modified Ford Fiesta ST and struck Terri-Ann Marshall.
Ms Marshall, 36, was declared dead at the scene on 28 January 2022. Both drivers pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday. The court heard they were travelling at twice the legal limit near Coleford.
Judge Ian Lawrie KC said the pair were 'behaving like adolescent males' and that Hill was 'unfamiliar' with the road, which explained why he struggled to keep up with Parsons. The judge added that Hill 'effectively took off' over a brow, giving Ms Marshall no time to react.
Lucy Alexander, 23, of Monmouth, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by providing Parsons with a false alibi. She was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
Ms Marshall's mother, Helen Dawson, told the court her daughter had been 'the happiest she had been in a long time' in a loving relationship with her fiancé. She added: 'We miss her so much. Terri-Ann was the life and soul of any event.'
