Drunken teenager, 19, accidentally ran over and killed his mother as she begged him not to drink and drive

SOURCE: Daily Mail
 A teenage learner driver who accidentally reversed into his mother and killed her as she begged him not to drink drive was jailed for a year yesterday.
Lewis Foster, 19, arrived home drunk after a row with work colleagues and got behind the wheel of his car, despite having no licence or insurance.
Deborah Jones, 47, followed him to the Citroen Saxo she had bought for him for Christmas and begged him not to drive because it would ‘ruin everything’ if he was caught.
But as he revved the engine, the car jerked backwards, crushing her against a fence post under the wheels, a court heard.


Foster, who was 18 at the time, was later found to be nearly twice the drink drive limit. He admitted causing death by driving carelessly under the influence of alcohol and driving without insurance.
She was killed by the horrific accident on July 12 last year, and devastated Lewis was found to be twice the legal drink drive limit.
He admitted causing death by driving carelessly under the influence of alcohol and driving without insurance at a previous hearing.
Foster, of St Austell, Cornwall, was yesterday jailed for a year in a young offenders' institute as Truro Crown Court heard he faced a 'lifetime of mental torture'.
Judge David Ticehurst told him: '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.'

A view of the service lane behind Dobell Road in St Austell where Lewis Foster drove into his mother

Police shot of Lewis Foster, 19, after the accident

The court heard Foster had been out drinking with work colleagues when he got into a drunken argument with his boss.
His mother, who was also a grandmother, had previously seen him in the pub and the pair began arguing when he got back to their home.
Mr Lee said despite Foster not having passed his test, his mother had given him enough money to buy the car as a Christmas present.
On the night of the accident he came to their home in Dobell Road, St Austell, at around 9.20pm, grabbed the keys, told his mother he wanted to leave the area, and hopped into the vehicle.
After locking himself in, he began revving the engine, prompting his mother to move from the back of the Saxo to the nearside rear corner, shouting: 'Lewis, stop - you'll ruin everything.'
As the car shot back she was crushed against a post before being pinned under the wheels, the court heard.
Frantic efforts were made to save Mrs Jones as her son got out of the car and his friend tried to move the Citroen.
Mrs Jones was rushed to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Devon, but died from her injuries the next morning.
After his arrest Lewis failed a breath test, showing 64mg of alcohol - nearly twice the legal limit of 35mg.
Philip Lee, prosecuting, 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.'
Piers Norsworthy, defending, said any punishment dished out to Jones was insignificant in comparison to the 'lifetime of mental torture' he faced.
He added: 'At the time of the incident this young man was in a very dark place - no rational thought would have gone through his mind.
'He is a decent young man who has not always had the best start in his life, but he certainly loved his mother very dearly as she did him.'
Foster was jailed for 12 months and disqualified from driving for four years.
At the time of Mrs Jones' death, the family released a sentence saying: 'Debbie was a lovely person, a great mum and grandmother. She will be dearly missed.'
Mrs Jones's next door neighbour, Sarah Snell, aged 46, said she was shocked and saddened by the news.
She said: 'She was a lovely person who would help anyone. If you needed her help she would be there. She was always looking out for me and my children.'