A DRIVER who was so drunk he didn't realise his car had run over the top of his victim as he lay in the road and dragged his body for two-thirds of a mile has been jailed.
Paul Whitfield, 54, of Hammond Street, in Parr, appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court today to be sentenced.
He had pleaded guilty in a previous hearing to causing 21-year-old Adam Cunliffe's death by driving a Mazda 3 dangerously.
Whitfield was "oblivious" as his car drove over his victim who was lying in the carriageway of Washway Lane at around 12.30am on January 12, 2022, and failed to notice "frantic gestures” by other motorists to alert Whitfield to the "unfolding horror".
The court was told that Whitfield had driven into St Helens town centre at 3.14pm on January 11, and parked on New Cross Street.
He visited a number of licensed properties and ended up in Perry’s Bar, returning to his car after around nine hours and going to drive home.
Meanwhile, Adam Cunliffe, who had been drinking, made his way to Washway Lane, where he “fell, tripped or stumbled into the road”.
The court heard that Whitfield, driving on the road, “neither slowed or braked and drove over” Mr Cunliffe.
Oblivious to this, the defendant continued driving as Adam “became attached underneath the defendant’s car.”
The defendant failed to notice "frantic" efforts by other motorists to alert Whitfield to the "unfolding horror" and “disregarded warnings given to him that he was dragging someone under his car”.
Whitfield's car dragged Adam's body up near to the Moss Bank pub, around a kilometre away when it was “released”.
There were a group of people waiting for a taxi home who saw the horrific incident and the defendant carried on and drove home.
Mr Cunliffe was confirmed dead at the scene.
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An unmarked police car in the vicinity managed to capture the defendant's number plate. Officers attended Whitfield’s address at around 4am and arrested him. After he was breathalysed it was estimated that Whitfield would have been around “two and a half times” in excess of the legal limit at the time he had hit Adam.
The court heard that Whitfield said he was not aware he had hit Mr Cunliffe until police had knocked on his door.
Noting that Whitfield’s journey home from the town centre had avoided main roads, judge the Recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary KC said “I can’t be sure” if that was a deliberate choice” because the defendant had been drinking or it “might be simply a route you take home knowing the local roads”.
The judge added to Whitfield, who sat in the dock wearing glasses, “you made a choice to go out and drive while drinking.”
The judge said that the area of Washway Lane where Whitfield hit Adam was “well illuminated” by street lamps. He added “it was the case that other motorists were able to see someone in the road” and that some “flashed their lights frantically to alert you, but obviously you were not paying attention”.
Judge Menary added: “You didn’t notice the car approaching flashing (its) lights.
“Most significantly, such was your compromised ability you didn’t notice Adam Cunliffe lying in the road. It was the case that you simply and horrifically drove over Adam.
“You must have been aware that you had driven over something significant” as this would have “caused the car to rise and fall.
“I don’t find that you knew it was a person but the fact you didn’t realise and drove on oblivious demonstrates to me how badly affected by drink you were.”
Whitfield also failed to notice “frantic gestures” by other motorists who had noticed the “unfolding horror story”.
Three heart-breaking victim impact statements were read to the court by prosecuting barrister Mr Pickavance on behalf of Liam Conway, Mr Cunliffe's older brother, Amy Clayton, the victim's partner and mother of his son George, and his dad Alan Cunliffe.
The judge noted the “irreparable damage” the tragedy has had on the lives of Adam’s family adding “there is no sentence” that can “equate” for the “loss they have suffered”.
He added “However tempting nor should it seek to try to perform such an exercise” that “there is nothing the court can do to alleviate (their) immeasurable suffering”.
The judge noted aggravating factors included Whitfield’s previous convictions, including two for driving while disqualified, having served a prison sentence for this offence in 1999. He said this “indicates the regard you have for your driving”.
Judge Menary said mitigation was “very limited other than your guilty plea” for which he reduced the sentence by one-third and that he “paid some regard” to the delay for the case to reach court.
Whitfield was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison, two-thirds of which he must serve in custody.
He was also disqualified from driving for five years, in addition to his time in custody.
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