Drink drive killer of South Oxhey man Matthew Purdham jailed for five years (From Watford Observer)

Drink drive killer of South Oxhey man Matthew Purdham jailed for five years

1:54pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

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A drink driver who knocked down and killed a popular South Oxhey man has been jailed for five years.

Chuy Taylor, 32, of Penn Place, Rickmansworth, was more than two times over the legal alcohol limit when hit 22-year-old Matthew Purdham in the early hours of Friday, April 10.

Mr Purdham died at the scene after Taylor, an IT account manager, hit him in his Audi convertible in the middle of the Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth.

He was thrown 40 metres in the collision with Taylor's vehicle, estimated to have been travelling at more than 40mph.

Taylor, who was jailed at St Albans Crown Court today, was breathalysed and found to be more than twice the legal limit.

He had been drinking with a friend in Watford, playing pub games before driving home with him asleep in the passenger seat.

Mr Purdham, described by friends and family as “a gentle giant” was attempting to make his way home from a night out at St Albans’ Batchwood nightclub.

He was hit shortly after buying cigarettes from a nearby petrol station and was, the court heard, walking in the wrong direction toward the motorway.

Ann Evans, prosecuting, read an impact statement from Mr Purdham’s father, which said Matthew's death was like “having the heart ripped out of the family".

He was described as a "gentle giant" who would help anyone, not just his friends and family."

Taylor previously denied the allegations but pleaded guilty at St Albans Crown Court today to causing death by careless driving while over the drink drive limit.

Imposing a five-year jail term, of which Taylor will serve half before release on licence, Judge Bright said the family will have to live forever with what he had done.

Judge Bright said: "You ran him over in the middle of Uxbridge Road and he died at the scene from his injuries.

"The circumstances will forever blight the lives of the family and friends.

"He had his whole life ahead of him and you will have to live with the knowledge of the pain and hurt his death has caused everyone that knew him."

Taylor lost his licence soon after getting it in 2006, after totting up excessive points for speeding in a two-year period.

He had previous convictions for "drink-related trouble" but not associated with driving.

Judge Bright added: "Although you have been in trouble with the police before you have nothing to do with drink driving.

"If you had been sober and under the speed limit you probably would have swerved.

"The mitigating factor was the drunken state of Matthew Purdham.

"He may have contributed significantly to the likelihood of being hit by a motor vehicle in Uxbridge Road and in those circumstances I can reduce to five years [the term of imprisonment].

Taylor will be banned from driving for Three years.