Drunk driver who mowed down two cyclists in stolen BMW is jailed for ten years

 
Helen William16 April 2014
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

A motorist who killed two cyclists after driving a stolen BMW sports car while nearly two-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit has been sentenced to ten years and three months in prison.

Alexander Farrar Walter, 31, of Purley on Thames, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving of John Morland, 30, and 39-year-old Kris Jarvis on February 13 this year.

Tests showed he had 191 mg of alcohol in 100 millitres of blood - nearly two-and-half times the legal limit - and he had also taken cocaine within the previous 24 hours.

He had been driving the black convertible at around 70mph in a 30mph zone when he lost control and smashed in to the two cyclists, who were on the footpath and wearing safety helmets, from behind. Walter then hit a lamp post.

He was arrested in connection with a collision on the A329 Purley Rise at about 9pm.

At Reading Crown Court, Judge John Reddihough told Walter that "two completely innocent young men and with families" were killed as a result of his "thoughtless, selfish and dangerous actions".

He said the evidence against Walter was "overwhelming" adding: "Seven children are left without a father and two women have been left without partners. Of course there is also the effect on the other members of their family."

The court heard Walter had fled from police who had been alerted by his partner that he had stolen the car just minutes before the crash.

Jurors were told he had appeared in court on 14 occasions over 67 offences which ranged from obtaining property by deception, dishonesty, false representation, making a bomb hoax and that he had been disqualified from driving for four years in 2010. He should not have been back on the road behind the wheel until December this year.

A loud gasp came from the public gallery, which was packed with friends and relatives, when they heard that Walter had repeatedly been in trouble with the law before the double killing.

Read More

Walter had taken the convertible car from his partner without permission after the couple argued, the court was told.

Motorists at the scene feared there was an accident waiting to happen due to his "horrendous and erratic" driving.

One motorist even pulled over as he could hear the screeching of tyres and feared a crash was "imminent", prosecutor Alan Blake noted.

He said the grieving relatives had made "devastating" victim statements about the impact the deaths were still having on their lives. These were not read out in court.

Mr Blake said: "It includes Amanda Morland (Mr Morland's sister) saying that part of her died with John on that day and they (the family) will never be the same again.

"There were similar expressions by the partner of Kris Jarvis (Tracey Fidler) who describes how difficult it is dealing with the loneliness she suffers, having never previously spent the night apart."

James House, defending, said Walter had written a letter to bereaved families.

Mr House said Walter "offers his heartfelt apologies" knowing that it will never make up for what he has done but he has admitted his guilt.

After the sentencing, Ms Fidler and Hayley Lindsay, Mr Morland's fiancee, made a joint statement in which they said that, because of a "reckless individual", their lives will never be the same.

Standing outside the court, they said: "Justice may have been served in the eyes of the law but to us, and to so many others, justice cannot ever be served.

"All we want is John and Kris back."

Walter was sentenced to 10 years and three months for causing death by dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking. He was also sentenced to 12 months for each of the other offences to run concurrently.

He pleaded guilty to seven offences at Reading Crown Court which also included aggravated vehicle-taking, driving while disqualified, driving while disqualified and driving while uninsured.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in