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High-speed driver killed father and son

A judge at Maidstone Crown Court was told Alan Oliver lost control of his vehicle
A judge at Maidstone Crown Court was told Alan Oliver lost control of his vehicle

A BANNED driver who smashed into another car after a drinking session and killed a father and his young son has been jailed for nine years.

Alan Oliver was told by a judge that the consequences of his bad driving were catastrophic.

Steve Pethig, 27, and his seven-year-old son Billy suffered multiple injuries at an accident black spot on Malmaynes Hall Road, Stoke, near Rochester.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Oliver, 26, was unfit to drive when he got into his Rover car on December 10 last year, with Luke Brown as a passenger.

Anthony Haycroft, prosecuting, said Mr Pethig’s Mini had broken down on the east-bound carriageway.

As Oliver took a left-hand bend at excess speed, he lost control, crossed the white line and crashed into the front of the Mini.

Mr Pethig, a father-of-five from Grain, near Rochester, died at the scene and his son died later that evening in hospital.

A witness estimated Oliver’s speed shortly before the accident at about 70mph. Another driver, Ria Power, saw that the Mini was upside down.

Oliver told her: "Yer, I’m OK, just hope I don’t get done for drink-driving." He and Mr Brown walked off after realising that Mr Pethig was dead.

Oliver, of Pontefract, West Yorkshire, admitted two charges of causing death by dangerous driving shortly before his trial was due to start. He was banned from driving for seven years.

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