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Heartbroken partner of pregnant Hollyoaks star Frankie Jules-Hough slams sentence of just 15 years for dangerous driver who killed her in 123mph horror crash

Heartbroken partner of pregnant Hollyoaks star Frankie Jules-Hough slams sentence of just 15 years for dangerous driver who killed her in 123mph horror crash

  • Calvin Buckley has said that his family has been unable to grieve or move on because of the injustice in the sentencing of her killer

By Lettice Bromovsky[1]

Published: 11:15, 16 October 2023 | Updated: 12:48, 16 October 2023

The heartbroken partner of pregnant Hollyoaks[2] star Frankie Jules-Hough, who was killed by a dangerous driver in May, has said he has been ‘let down by the justice system’.

Calvin Buckley, spoke out about the ordeal on Good Morning Britain[3] saying that his family has been unable to grieve or move on because of the injustice in the sentencing of her killer.

The mother-of-two, 38, died along with her unborn child, Neeve, after Adil Iqbal, 22, filmed himself driving at speeds of up to 123mph[4] before losing control on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester on May 13.

On Friday appeal judges added three years to Iqbal prison sentence, increasing it from 12 to 15 years, after it was agreed to have been too lenient.

However, Mr Buckley expressed his disappointment that Iqbal had not been given a life sentence: ‘With the severity and how extreme the case is we did feel that it does warrant a life sentence.’

Hollyoaks star Frankie Jules-Hough and her unborn child were killed by Adil Iqbal in May Hollyoaks star Frankie Jules-Hough and her unborn child were killed by Adil Iqbal in May

Hollyoaks star Frankie Jules-Hough and her unborn child were killed by Adil Iqbal in May

Ms Jules-Hough, 38, who had pulled on to the hard shoulder of the motorway with a puncture, had her two sons and a nephew in her car when they were hit by Iqbal Ms Jules-Hough, 38, who had pulled on to the hard shoulder of the motorway with a puncture, had her two sons and a nephew in her car when they were hit by Iqbal

Ms Jules-Hough, 38, who had pulled on to the hard shoulder of the motorway with a puncture, had her two sons and a nephew in her car when they were hit by Iqbal

Since 2022, judges have been able to hand out life sentences to those convicted of deaths by dangerous driving, before this the maximum sentence had been 14 years.

Mr Buckley added: ‘I think, this whole life sentence, to me seems more like a token gesture, I don’t think anybody is actually going to be able to get it.’

He continued: ‘I was shocked and angry and very disappointed, that we felt we had been let down by the justice system, and it was really difficult for us as a family to move on, to grieve because of that.’

At the hearing on Friday Lord Justice Bean told the court: ‘This is the worst case of bad driving any of us can recall.’

Ms Jules-Hough, 38, who had pulled on to the hard shoulder of the motorway with a puncture, had her two sons and a nephew in her car when they were hit by Iqbal.

Adil Iqbal, 22, had his jail term was increased from 12 years to 15 years after it was agreed the original sentence had been too lenient Adil Iqbal, 22, had his jail term was increased from 12 years to 15 years after it was agreed the original sentence had been too lenient

Adil Iqbal, 22, had his jail term was increased from 12 years to 15 years after it was agreed the original sentence had been too lenient

Ms Jules-Hough with her son Tommy, nine, and her nephew Tobias Spencer, four, who were also in the car during the accident Ms Jules-Hough with her son Tommy, nine, and her nephew Tobias Spencer, four, who were also in the car during the accident

Ms Jules-Hough with her son Tommy, nine, and her nephew Tobias Spencer, four, who were also in the car during the accident

Iqbal admitted to causing the death of Ms Jules-Houghon on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester, on May 13 Iqbal admitted to causing the death of Ms Jules-Houghon on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester, on May 13

Iqbal admitted to causing the death of Ms Jules-Houghon on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester, on May 13

She suffered unsurvivable brain injuries, and died two days later without regaining consciousness and her unborn daughter could not survive.

Her son, Thomas Spencer, nine, and nephew Tobias Welby suffered serious brain injuries and their long-term outcomes remain uncertain, judges heard.

Her other son was not badly hurt.

Ms Jules-Hough appeared on Hollyoaks as Jess Holt between 2000 and 2001, and had roles in Merseybeat, Heartbeat, Where The Heart Is and Wire In The Blood

Iqbal, from Accrington, Lancashire, who worked in a gym and coached boxing to ‘disadvantaged’ children, had admitted causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Emergency services attend the scene of the crash which closed the M66 in May Emergency services attend the scene of the crash which closed the M66 in May

Emergency services attend the scene of the crash which closed the M66 in May

Iqbal had been convicted of driving without insurance in 2019 and in December 2021 posted a video to Facebook after filming himself speeding in a Lamborghini Huracan in Dubai Iqbal had been convicted of driving without insurance in 2019 and in December 2021 posted a video to Facebook after filming himself speeding in a Lamborghini Huracan in Dubai

Iqbal had been convicted of driving without insurance in 2019 and in December 2021 posted a video to Facebook after filming himself speeding in a Lamborghini Huracan in Dubai

Ms Jules-Hough starred as Jess Holt in Hollyoaks in the early 2000s Ms Jules-Hough starred as Jess Holt in Hollyoaks in the early 2000s

Ms Jules-Hough starred as Jess Holt in Hollyoaks in the early 2000s

He had been sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester in July where Judge Maurice Greene jailed him for 12 years and described the ‘most indescribable reckless driving’.

The judge had banned Iqbal from driving for 13 years and the appeal judges increased this to 15 years at Friday’s hearing.

Judges heard that Iqbal had been convicted of driving without insurance in 2019 and in December 2021 posted a video to Facebook after filming himself speeding in a Lamborghini Huracan in Dubai.

Two months before the fatal crash, he was given a warning by police after being stopped while racing an Audi car on public roads.

On the day of the crash, other drivers’ dashcam footage caught Iqbal aggressively tailgating and undertaking on an A road leading to the motorway, with his car fish-tailing and swerving.

References

  1. ^ Lettice Bromovsky (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  2. ^ Hollyoaks (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  3. ^ Good Morning Britain (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  4. ^ The mother-of-two, 38, died along with her unborn child, Neeve, after Adil Iqbal, 22, filmed himself driving at speeds of up to 123mph (www.dailymail.co.uk)

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