Teesside family heartbroken after Audi driver killed dad-of-three
Arron Dunlop downed at least six double Southern Comforts and Jagerbombs before getting behind the wheel of his Audi A5 and speeding away from the George and Dragon pub where he had spent then evening drinking.
Within minutes, the 30-year-old smashed into the rear of Paul Greenfield’s motorbike in Norton, Stockton, as he made his way home from work.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the father-of-three was carried on the bonnet of the speeding Audi for a few hundred metres before being thrown onto a grass verge.
Dunlop and his passenger abandoned the car before fleeing the scene.
Paul Greenfield (Image: Contributor)
Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the defendant was arrested at Newcastle Airport after booking a flight to Alicante and trying to flee the country.
Mr Greenfield’s devastated wife spoke of her family’s loss as Dunlop was sentenced after admitting causing death by dangerous driving following the fatal crash on June 8 this year.
Cheryl Greenfield said the couple met while working at the KP factory in Billingham and her husband was returning home from his shift when he was killed.
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The mother-of-three told the court she knew something had happened when he failed to return home and came across the horrendous scene while she was searching for him.
“There are no words to describe this, nobody should have to go through what we have had to,” she said. “He was doing nothing wrong; Peter was just minutes away from home when he was killed.”
Mr Dodds said the fatal collision happened on the A1027 in Norton and CCTV footage showed the motorbike travelling along the road at regular speed moments before Dunlop’s Audi smashed into the rear of him.
He told the court that members of the public tried to help the stricken Mr Greenfield but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Dunlop’s DNA was recovered from the airbag of his Audi and he refused to give a sample of his breath when he was arrested at the airport just hours after the fatal crash.
The judge heard how the defendant had previous convictions for aggravated vehicle taking and drink driving.
Arron Dunlop (Image: Cleveland Police)
Dunlop, of Alma Street, Stockton, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen.
Tom Bennett, mitigating, said his client had panicked following the accident and fled the scene before trying to board a flight to Spain.
He said the father-of-three had expressed remorse for his behaviour and admitted fleeing the scene without trying to help Mr Greenfield.
Judge Paul Watson KC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, branded Dunlop’s driving as shocking and slammed him for trying to ‘skulk in Spain’ in a bid to evade justice.
“You drove without regard for the safety of other road users and you struck his moped at speed from behind,” he said.
“It is clear from the road traffic report that the moped was struck at speed and travelled some significant distance before coming to rest.
“Mr Greenfield was clearly seriously injured at the scene and what you did almost defies belief – instead of stopping to try and help, you got back in your car and you set off and made yourself scarce from the scene.
“You said that was done in a state of shock – I reject that claim. It is absolutely clear from what you did that this was a clear and deliberate plan from you to absent yourself from the scene and country in order to avoid the consequences of your reckless behaviour.”
Dunlop was also banned from driving for a total of 16 years and told he must pass an extended driving test before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle again.
References
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