Jail term for speeding driver who caused death of pregnant mother increased

Appeal judges have added three years to a 12-year jail term handed to a boxing coach who admitted causing the death of a pregnant mother-of-two in a motorway crash.

Three appeal judges on Friday increased Adil Iqbal’s term to 15 years after concluding that the original sentence was unduly lenient.

They heard that Iqbal filmed himself driving a BMW at speeds of up to 123mph as he weaved between traffic on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester, in May, before losing control and ploughing into Frankie Jules-Hough’s Skoda Fabia

Lord Justice Bean, Mr Justice Murray and His Honour Judge Anthony Leonard oversaw a Court of Appeal hearing in London.

This is the worst case of bad driving any of us can recall

Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson had argued that the sentence was unduly lenient and asked for a review.

Appeal judges ruled in Mr Tomlinson’s favour.

“This is the worst case of bad driving any of us can recall,” Lord Justice Bean told the court.

“We find it hard to imagine a worst case of bad driving than this one.”

He said the case was exceptional.

Ms Jules-Hough, 38, who had pulled on to the hard shoulder of the motorway with a puncture, had her two sons and a nephew in her car, judges heard.

She was making a call to say she would be late when she let out a “blood-curdling scream”, they were told.

Ms Jules-Hough, who was 17 weeks pregnant, suffered unsurvivable brain injuries, the court heard.

She died two days later without regaining consciousness and her unborn daughter could not survive.

Her son, Thomas Spencer, nine, and nephew Tobias Welby suffered serious brain injuries and their long-term outcomes remain uncertain, judges heard.

Both youngsters spent weeks in intensive care.

Her other son was not badly hurt.

Iqbal, from Accrington, Lancashire, who worked in a gym and coached boxing to “disadvantaged” children, had admitted causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

I am disappointed that another opportunity has been missed to try and clamp down on the growing issues of dangerous drivers and lawlessness on Britain’s roads

He had been sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester in July where Judge Maurice Greene jailed him for 12 years and described the “most indescribable reckless driving”.

The judge had banned Iqbal from driving for 13 years and the appeal judges increased this to 15 years at Friday’s hearing.

Ms Jules-Hough’s former partner Calvin Buckley said after the appeal hearing that October 13 had been the due date of their unborn baby daughter, Neeve.

“The judgment today is not we was hoping for and is a bitter pill to swallow,” he said.

“I ask the question, what more does somebody have to do to get a life sentence for causing death by dangerous driving?

“I am disappointed that another opportunity has been missed to try and clamp down on the growing issues of dangerous drivers and lawlessness on Britain’s roads.

“No number of years can compensate for our loss – we were all given a life sentence that day.”