A drink-driver who lost control of her vehicle and struck a pedestrian, causing life-threatening injuries, has been jailed following a crash in Brighton.
Emma Roberts, 43, of Church Street, Reigate, was driving a black Jaguar along the A270 Lewes Road on September 6, 2023, when she veered off the road, crashing through a bus shelter and hitting a university student who was waiting for a bus. The victim, a man in his 20s, sustained severe injuries, including a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain, a broken spine, and multiple internal injuries. He was placed in a coma and has since undergone numerous surgeries.
A breath test conducted after the incident revealed that Roberts was more than three times over the legal alcohol limit, testing at 121 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes. Additionally, Roberts had been speeding at 74mph in a 30mph zone just moments before the crash.
At Lewes Crown Court on Thursday, October 10, Roberts was sentenced to two years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. She was also disqualified from driving for three years and two months.
Investigating officer Jade Smith from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit highlighted the seriousness of drink-driving and speeding:
“This again demonstrates the dangers of drink-driving. Roberts was incredibly fortunate that her reckless behaviour did not cause a fatality that night. She risked her own safety as well as the safety of the public. We are pleased that a dangerous driver has been taken off our roads. We are determined to catch dangerous drivers, and this case should act as a warning to others about the dangers of drink driving and driving at excessive speed.”
The court heard that the victim had no time to react as Roberts’ vehicle swerved into him. He later described waking up in hospital in “constant agony,” facing a long road to recovery from his multiple injuries.
Members of the public assisted the victim and helped emergency services at the scene. Roberts was described by witnesses as appearing intoxicated by the roadside.
Drink-driving and speeding remain leading causes of fatalities and serious injuries on roads across the country. This case underscores the importance of road safety and the devastating consequences of reckless driving.
