Driver jailed for 120mph fatal crash

A driver has been jailed for seven years after admitting causing a crash in which he lost control of his car at more than 120mph, killing one of his passengers.

Richard Hill, 36, died when the BMW, driven by Robbie Hawes, crashed on the A27 Havant bypass in Hampshire in November 2022.

Hawes, 26 previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. Hampshire Constabulary said it had been raining heavily on the night of the crash and he had "ignored the dangerous conditions".

Paying tribute to Mr Hill, his family said he would be "forever be in our hearts".

No other vehicles were involved in the crash which happened shortly before midnight on on Saturday, 5 November 2022.

The car had five occupants. Mr Hill, from Havant, died at the scene.

Hawes, from Ranelagh Road, Havant was also banned from driving for 11 years and four months at a hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Det Sgt Gary Doughty said there had been a lot of surface water on the road at the time and the speeds Hawes was driving at were "outrageous".

"This was without doubt a completely avoidable and needless loss of life brought about by speed and a manner of driving which is not appropriate at any time, let alone for the atrocious conditions of that night," he added.

In a statement, Mr Hill's family said his young son "never got the chance to meet him but is already so much like him."

It described him as "the light in any room".

"People gravitated towards his infectious charm and his incredible gift of making people smile and laugh.

"He was loved by everyone that had the pleasure to meet him, and without him in this world, an emptiness has been created that can never be filled.

"His love for life, his friends and his family was deep, compassionate and selfless.

"There isn't another like him and his unique personality will be relentlessly missed by us all, including his heartbroken mum and girlfriend," it added.

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