A drug-impaired driver who caused a fatal collision, killing a father and seriously injuring his wife, has been sentenced to nine years in prison. Adam Bates, 23, lost control of his mother's Jaguar on a Cambridgeshire road, leading to a catastrophic chain of events.
A Catastrophic Chain of Events on the A10
The incident occurred on the morning of August 15 on the A10 between the villages of Stretham and Chittering. Bates, who was driving a silver Jaguar he was not insured to use, veered into the wrong lane. This caused a head-on collision with a road sweeping lorry travelling in the opposite direction.
The impact forced the lorry out of control. It then spun into a Mini Cooper carrying William Doherty, 53, and his wife Susan. The Mini was pushed into a field, while the road sweeper rolled and left the carriageway.
Victims' Final Moments and Lasting Trauma
Tragically, William Doherty from Littleport was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife Susan had to be cut from the wreckage and was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge in a critical condition, suffering from a serious brain bleed.
Cambridge Crown Court heard that the couple had been aware of the danger Bates posed just moments before the crash. Shortly after 7am, Mrs Doherty had called police via the car's loudspeaker to report the Jaguar ahead was 'swerving all over the road'. The line went dead as the collision occurred.
In a victim impact statement, Susan Doherty said: 'My children have lost their dad and I've lost the love of my life.' She described how her brain injury has caused memory loss, stripping her of cherished memories she may never recover.
A History of Bad Choices and Devastating Consequences
Prosecutor Marti Blair told the court that Bates appeared drowsy at the roadside. He passed a breath test but failed a drugs wipe. A blood sample taken five hours later showed he was below the legal limit for drugs, but the prosecution argued it was 'not possible to provide a back calculation' for his level at the time of the crash.
Bates admitted he had 'previously been addicted to benzodiazepines and had taken one the night before'. These prescription drugs, used for anxiety and sleep issues, can cause drowsiness, confusion, and a state similar to alcohol intoxication.
Judge Philip Grey, sentencing, stated Bates's driving was 'very, very bad that day' and it was 'obvious you were severely impaired'. He noted Bates was 'using a number of prescription drugs that you were not in fact prescribed with'. The judge said a 'hard-working, law-abiding family has been torn apart' due to Bates's 'bad and selfish choices'.
The court was told Bates had three convictions for ten previous offences, mostly driving-related, including careless driving and driving with excess alcohol. He had previously received a suspended sentence for a crash where he only injured himself. 'You took the same terrible choices again,' Judge Grey remarked.
Adam Bates, of Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and driving without insurance.
In addition to the nine-year and four-month prison sentence, Bates was banned from driving for 12 years and one month. He showed no reaction as he was led to the cells.
