Drug-driver's 'despicable' court outburst as he's jailed for killing girlfriend in crash
A drug-driver who blamed his girlfriend for her death after he left her in the wreckage of a crash has been jailed for more than nine years.
Adrian Paskin, 35, fled the scene in Handsworth, Birmingham, after smashing into another car at 100mph in his Ford Fiesta on August 17.
Paskin, who had no licence or insurance, pulled his hood up and ran off, leaving Sarah Handley, 28, on his rear seat with a fatal head injury, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
The victim, a mother-of-one from West Bromwich, was pronounced dead shortly after the collision in Crocketts Road.
Paskin angered the judge on Wednesday when he shouted during a victim impact statement “your daughter didn’t want me to stop the car. That’s why I didn’t stop.”
He had evaded police by running red lights at up to 70mph during two high-speed chases within hours of each other prior to the crash.
Aliya Rashid, prosecuting, said Paskin’s Fiesta was made the subject of a police marker after failing to stop in the early hours for a police patrol, which abandoned the pursuit in Ladywood, Birmingham.
Ms Rashid told the court: “His speeds on that occasion went up to 90mph in 30-40mph roads.”
Paskin, who was wearing a mask during the first pursuit, was then spotted by police at 9.30pm on the M6 near Walsall, and was tracked to junction 1 of the M5 at West Bromwich.
The heroin and cocaine user, who has previous convictions for 67 offences including ten of driving while disqualified, then drove on a pavement to try to escape but crashed less than a minute after officers again called off efforts to pursue the Fiesta due to safety fears.
Paskin, who had no lights on, was said by witnesses to be driving at around 100mph when he crashed into a Volkswagen Golf carrying a family-of-three.
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Passing sentence, Judge Melbourne Inman QC said Paskin – who was jailed for dangerous driving in 2007 and 2015 and was four times over the drug-driving limit – had a truly appalling record of previous offending.
The judge told him: “Your behaviour in this court during the sentencing hearing, when the victim personal statements of Sarah’s parents were being read out, was utterly deplorable.
“I don’t punish you for that but it’s clearly beyond doubt that you appear to have no remorse. Your only concern appears to be yourself and nobody else, including sadly Sarah and her family.”
Paskin pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to dangerous driving, causing death by dangerous driving, having no insurance, and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
He was today given a 14-year sentence reduced to nine years and four months for his guilty plea at Birmingham Crown Court.
Paskin, who handed himself in at Oldbury police station six hours after the fatal crash, was also sentenced to a driving ban of 12 years and eight months.
