Drink driver killed 'perfect princess' in horror van crash

A drink driver has admitted causing the death of 23-year-old Dominique Wright by careless driving in Southwell.
Nottingham Crown Court.Nottingham Crown Court.
Nottingham Crown Court.

Benjamin Hughes, 24, was found to have 141 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, over the limit of 80, after the crash.

At Nottingham Crown Court, Hughes pleaded guilty to causing her death by careless driving when he had that level of alcohol in his blood.

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The crash in Southwell Road, between High Cross and Thurgarton Village, led to the death of Miss Wright who was a passenger in the vehicle.

Dominique, who lived near Nettleham, in Lincolnshire, was in the front seat of the car at the time of the collision. She died at the scene at 12.30am on Sunday, October 30.

Wearing a grey suit and patterned tie, Hughes attended court after being granted bail at the magistrates’ court in July. He confirmed his name when address by the court clerk at a short plea and trial preparation hearing on Thursday, August 24.

Barrister Martin Elwick, mitigating, asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared before he is sentenced on September 22.

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He told Judge Rosalind Coe QC, who heard the case: “I have a number of character references in support of this young man and a heartfelt letter of support from Dominique’s parents who sit in the court.”

The judge adjourned until the sentencing hearing which was listed with a time estimate of 45 minutes. Hughes’s bail was continued with the condition he cooperates with the probation services in the preparation of the report.

Judge Coe said: “I want a pre-sentence report so the court has all the information it needs. These are not easy cases.”

She said in light of his guilty plea the matter would be adjourned until September 22.

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No further details were heard in court about the accident, but it has been previously reported that Miss Wright was a front seat passenger in a Peugeot Expert van involved in the incident on Nottingham Road, Southwell.

At the time of her death her mum Angela Wright said she would remember her as “perfect” and a “princess”

An inquest into her death has been opened.

Opening and adjourning the inquiry into her death at Nottingham Coroner’s Court in February, Nottinghamshire assistant coroner Ivan Cartwright, said: “The brief circumstances were that Miss Wright was front-seat passenger in a car. The car was in collision with a verge with force, went into a ditch and was in further collision with a tree.

“Miss Wright sadly sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.”