Teen jailed after accidentally killing mother
A teenager has been jailed for a year after accidentally running over and killing his mother following an argument over whether he was too drunk to drive.
Lewis Foster, 19, of St Austell in England, had been out with work colleagues when he arrived home, reports the Daily Mail.
Despite having no insurance or licence, and being nearly two times over the legal limit, he got into the car and then revved the engine.
The court heard that his mother placed her hands on the windscreen and begged him to stop, saying ‘you’ll ruin everything’.
The car then jerked backwards and his mother was crushed against a fence post. Defending Mr Foster, Piers Norsworthy said he had been unaware his mother had moved to the rear of the vehicle.
Mr Foster had admitted causing death by driving carelessly and driving without insurance at a previous hearing.
He has been jailed for a year in a young offenders’ institute but was told by Judge David Ticehurst he faced ‘a lifetime of mental torture’.
The Judge said: “The words tragic and tragedy are often misused these days but there is no escape of the fact that this is a tragic case with a tragic result for everyone involved.
“You, Lewis Foster, will carry the burden that you killed your mother by your careless driving for the rest of your life.
“Nothing that I say or do could add to the sense of guilt that you feel and that you will always feel.
“You were only 18 at the time the offence was committed, I take into account that it was a momentary lapse. Whether your foot slipped off the clutch does not matter a great deal.
“It was not a prolonged period of driving but it was reckless, completely thoughtless, without any regard to what may happen.
“Had you spent a moment or two thinking about the situation, had you not been so drunk, had you not been in a temper, you would not be here.”
Prosecutor Philip Lee said: “It is apparent from the evidence that from time to time, mother and son argued and shouted at some times and there was anger between them.
“But it is also apparent that they did have a close and loving relationship.”
Mr Foster was also disqualified from driving for four years.
