Stoke-on-Trent mum-of-five jailed after crash left ‘amazing’ man dead

Published 25/11/2023 · Updated 25/11/2023

A Stoke-on-Trent mum-of-five was high on drink and drugs when she crashed into a tree – killing one man and seriously injuring another. Rachael Boardman – who had left the Potteries to start a better life in Derbyshire – was sentenced to six years behind bars following the death of Dominic Fryer, 51, who was a back-seat passenger in the car. Derby Crown Court [1] heard Boardman, 43, was drinking at a party with a group of people during the evening of September 9 2022.

But despite being told by a friend not to drive and a taxi being booked, she decided to get behind the wheel of her Peugeot 206. She was speeding when she lost control of the vehicle in Lullington Road, Overseal, at 4.30am on September 10, 2022. Dad Mr Fryer – who was not wearing a seatbelt – died at the scene, while Boardman’s friend Michael Osborne, the front-seat passenger, suffered serious injuries including a fractured hip.

Tests revealed Boardman had alcohol, cocaine and cannabis in her system at the time of the crash. After the crash, Boardman was left trapped in the driver’s seat before being taken to hospital where she remained in a coma for three weeks. She was subsequently charged with causing death by dangerous driving and causing injury by dangerous driving – charges she admitted to at an earlier hearing.

READ: Four defendants sentenced in North Staffordshire’s courts this week [2] Cases include a Fenton pet shop burglar READ:Alcoholic banned after caught drink-driving twice in four months [3] Shingirai Mhembere, 25, of Werrington, has been in court Derbyshire Live reports [4] that as the sentence was passed, Boardman broke down in tears.

As well as being jailed, Boardman was also handed a 13-year driving ban. Rashad Mohammed, defending, said his client suffered 16 fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a dislocated hip and now has an issue with an artery to her heart as a result of the collision. He said she is “still suffering” with those more than a year after causing the crash.

He added: “She is a single mother and there are five children, four dependant, and they are totally innocent here. She used to live in Stoke-on-Trent and tried to start a new life in Derbyshire bringing those kids up all by herself. She is truly remorseful and bitterly regrets her actions that day and for causing the loss she has to so many people.”

Dominic Fryer, known as Dom, sadly died last month after being involved in a crash in Overseal, near Swadlincote (Image: Fryer family)

Judge Shaun Smith said: “It is not very often I get the mother of four children face such a lengthy sentence for a driving matter but we have a grieving family.

Children aged five to 16 have all had to be placed in foster care. “In cases like this is really is impossible to know where to begin when I am sentencing somebody whose driving had changed the lives of so many people forever including your own family and those who have forever lost Dominic Fryer. When you got in that car you were very drunk, at least twice the limit for alcohol as well as taking cocaine and smoking cannabis.”

Judge Smith read out a letter sent to him by Boardman. In it she said: “On September 10, 2022, I destroyed and ripped apart two families and I will never be able to forgive myself for this. It haunts me very day and the despair is embedded in my head and my guilt and remorse will remain with me forever.”

(Image: Fryer family)

Mr Fryer’s family paid tribute to the loss of an “amazing” husband, father and grandfather.

In a victim personal statement read out in court, his wife Kristy said: “My husband Dom was everything to me. He did everything for me. We had three wonderful children together and lots of happy memories but at the moment I feel that everything has been taken away from me.

“Dominic was so unique, a hard man to replace in our lives. He was a hard-working man, he worked full time no matter what job it was to be able to support his family. “It feels awful to no longer have that happiness around us.

Our world is a lot sadder and empty since his death. Life is so hard everyday without Dom. It hits us all so hard that things will never be the same.”

Mr Fryer’s daughter Jessica said: “To say that losing my dad has left a big hole in every single moment in the day, in my life and that of my family is a massive understatement. He was the life and soul, my safety blanket, my hero and my dad. “No matter what sentence is handed out it won’t heal what has been broken, it won’t bring back the time he should be here enjoying time with his kids, his grandkids and his family.”

And his son Joshua added: “Losing my dad has affected my life in every way. He can’t talk to us or love us and we all really feel poorer for that. I want the person who did this to know this has been the most difficult, heartbreaking loss to experience.

We have been deprived of a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend to many. The world has lost an amazing man, one of the best I’ve ever known. I love you dad.”

Boardman, of Fernlea Drive, Linton, pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving and causing injury by dangerous driving at Derby Crown Court in September. Temporary Detective Constable Dan Booth, who led the investigation, said: “Whilst no sentence can ever bring Mr Fryer back or repair the damage done to the other victim in this case, I hope that today’s result will allow everybody involved to finally have some closure. “This was a tragic and needless loss of life and is another reminder about the dangers of the so called ‘fatal four’ that police often speak about.

“Driving whilst impaired through drink or drugs, driving too fast for the conditions and not wearing a seatbelt are three of those four, which combined together, led to the loss of Mr Fryer’s life.

“I’d like to thank Mr Fryer’s family for the courage, dignity and restraint shown throughout this case and wish them well as they continue to try and rebuild their lives after such a dreadful loss.”

References

^ Derby Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
^ Four defendants sentenced in North Staffordshire’s courts this week (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
^ Alcoholic banned after caught drink-driving twice in four months (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
^ Derbyshire Live reports (www.derbytelegraph.co.uk)
^ Sign up to our main daily newsletter here and get all the latest news straight to your inbox for FREE (data.reachplc.com)