A mother has escaped prison time after a terrible incident resulted in the death of two of her sons.
In a horrific accident, Amy Sheppard crashed her Vauxhall Astra into an Audi on the A52 in Lincolnshire, killing sons Louie, 8, and Mason, 6. Her 4-year-old son and two people in the Audi were also injured in the crash.
The incident, which occurred on October 2, 2023, was caused by an under-inflated tyre on Ms Sheppard’s car. She had picked up her sons from school in Mablethorpe and was heading to their home in Hutoft. The faulty tyre caused the Astra to cross onto the opposite carriageway and collide head on with the Audi. The court heard that Ms Sheppard knew about the tyre, and had texted her partner the day before, asking him to check it. Unfortunately, he checked the wrong tyre and failed to check the other three.
At the hearing at Lincoln Crown Court on December 12, Ms Sheppard pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, and was given a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. She was also banned from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended retest, undergo a 12-month mental health course and 35 rehabilitation activity days. The judge described the suspension of the sentence as an “act of mercy”, given that she was the primary carer for a young child and that there was strong mitigation in the case.
If you are being investigated for a serious motoring offence, including causing death by careless driving, solicitors at Auriga Advocates can provide a high level of support as your case moves forward. Contact us now and let’s talk through your options.