'Utterly reckless’ drink-driver jailed for eight years

Jake Calow (24), of Broad Street, Syston, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court for causing the death of Patrick Shortt in the incident, at Brimpton Common, in Berkshire, back in July 2022.

The court heard Calow had been drinking in The Bel and Dragon on Swan Street, in Kingsclere, for several hours and then bought more alcohol from a local shop before getting behind the wheel of a colleague’s white Ford Transit van, which he did not have permission to drive.

At around 8.10pm on July 11 last year, Calow collided head-on with a blue Volkswagen Caddy on Hockford Lane, at the junction with the B3051.

The passenger of the Volkswagen, 58-year-old Patrick Shortt from Woodley, Reading, sadly died at the scene.

The driver of the Volkswagen, a 59-year-old man, also from Woodley, suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Calow and his only passenger, Oliver McGowan (24), of Fletcher’s Way, East Goscote, were taken to hospital.

The results from Calow’s blood sample gave a reading of not lower than 38mg alcohol per 100ml blood. A back calculation was then completed which found his blood alcohol level at the time of the collision was approximately 129mg per 100ml blood, which would have been significantly higher than the legal limit of 80mg per 100ml.

The defendants sentenced to eight years for causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, causing a death whilst uninsured and aggravated vehicle taking.

McGowan was also sentenced to 12 months jail, suspended for two years, 250 hours of unpaid work and a curfew for three months for a charge of aggravated vehicle taking.

Det Con Lyndsey Blackaby, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: “Calow should never have been driving that evening.

"He had been drinking and selfishly got behind the wheel of a van anyway.

“The result of his utterly reckless actions is that a man has died, leaving his family devastated and another has been left with life changing injuries.

"Our thoughts remain with Patrick’s family and we hope they can start to heal now that justice has been done.”