Show-off driver killed his girlfriend, 17, overtaking on bend weeks after passing test

Dean Saunders, then 17, was part of a convoy of young people when he broke the speed limit, overtook a friend's car on a bend and lost control.

His Vauxhall Corsa was hit side-on by a oncoming Ford Galaxy. The brunt of the impact was borne by his girlfriend Rachel Woodgate, who was in the front passenger seat.

She died instantly from multiple injuries, St Albans crown court heard.

Saunders suffered a head injury and cannot remember what happened.

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Also injured was the driver of the Galaxy, Bernadette Massey, who had just picked her daughter up from Girl Guides.

Today Saunders of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving on Newgate Street Road, in Goffs Oak, Herts at 9.40pm of May 17 last year.

Dressed in a black suit, he sobbed in the dock as the case against him was outlined.

Prosecutor David Chrimes told the court Saunders had been attempting to overtake another car on a left-hand bend while driving at more than 43mph in a 30mph zone.

Mr Chrimes said: "Why the defendant overtook we may never know. The Crown cannot rule out a showing-off element - it is hard to think of another explanation."

Saunders was driving in convoy with other youngsters to a nearby fish and chip shop. He and Rachel, who had been going out for three years, were in the second car, behind a friend's Renault Clio.

The driver of the Clio later told police that as he saw Saunders' Corsa overtake him on the bend he had exclaimed: "What the hell?"

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Mr Chrimes said: "The Corsa was oversteered to the left, hitting a kerb, before being oversteered to the right and rotating clockwise onto the other side of the road where the side was hit by the Galaxy.

"Tragically, this was a relatively high-collision speed on a relatively weak part of the Corsa."

Rachel, of Harkness, Cheshunt, lost consciousness immediately immediately and was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple traumatic injuries.

Saunders was found sitting in a friend's car staring blankly. He told police he had no recollection of the crash.

Richard Wormald, defending, said Saunders had never been in trouble with police. He said he was hardworking and had saved money from his part-time job at Somerfield supermarket to buy the car.

He said Saunders "is profoundly sorry for the death of his girlfriend".

The barrister went on: "He has been shattered by what happened - barely able to talk about it."

Judge Michael Baker QC sentenced Saunders to eight months' detention and banned him from driving for three years.

The judge said: "This was a catastrophic, impulsive piece of driving by you - partly reckless and partly and error of judgement. It was more than an case of misjudgement. It was an act of choice."

He added: "Rachel was 16 - a bright girl perhaps heading towards the nursing profession. She lost the best part of her life with all the promise, eagerness and expectation of youth."

Rachel - who lived in with parents Lesley and Mark, brothers Harry, three, and James, 15, and 12-year-old sister Keeley - was posthumously awarded 11 GCSEs by Goffs School, Herts.

The sentence could not reflect the value of her life, which was beyond price, the judge said.

After the case Mrs Woodgate said: "I miss Rachel terribly - there is a big hole in my life. I feel very numb. Sometimes I look out of the window at twenty to ten at night waiting for her to return. I make her dinner."

"I don't feel justice has been done to Rachel. Dean will be out in four months. What he did has devastated our families."

Mrs Woodgate, who wears a necklace with her daughter's name, said: "He has ruined the rest of my life."