LONDON – An Indian-origin man in the UK has been sentenced to eight years in jail and banned from driving for 10 years for killing a woman cyclist in a hit-and-run case while being high on drink and drugs.
Ajay Singh, 26, hit Vicky Myres from behind at high speed with his car as she was out cycling in Timperley, Greater Manchester, in August and then sped away.
He was tracked down by police hours later and arrested, Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester heard this week.
“Your dangerous and unlawful driving undertaken as it was with a complete disregard for the safety of others has taken from this world a truly special person,” Judge John Potter said during sentencing.
“When she [Myres] died she was just 24 years old. She was a good, bright, intelligent and energetic person who had the world at her feet. She had travelled extensively. She had a passion for cycling,” he added.
Singh had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop and had been warned by the judge at a previous hearing that he faced a “significant custodial sentence”.
Besides being jailed for eight years, Singh, an insurance worker who is married with a three-year-old child, has also been banned from driving for 10 years.
On the day of the hit and run, Singh’s vehicle was going at about 51-62 mph when it hit Vicky from behind and she died on the spot.
The court was told that Singh’s car was damaged in the collision and the registration plate was found at the scene, which helped police apprehend him quickly.
Police later arrived and entered Singh’s flat where he was initially unresponsive and seemed to be “out of it on drugs”, the court was told.
After being arrested, he was breathalysed and found to be just under the drink drive limit but was over the drug drive limit for cannabis and cocaine.
He had admitted taking the drugs called spice and ketamine, the court was told.
In a victim impact statement, Vicky’s father said, “My future doesn’t seem that exciting. Obviously, life goes on but I will never get to see my baby again”.
The florist was out cycling with her boyfriend’s mother on the day of the crash on August 27.
In a statement read at the court, the victim’s boyfriend, said, “Due to the thoughtless, selfish and cowardly actions of the driver my beautiful, innocent girlfriend was taken away from me. My life now feels meaningless”.
