JAILED: Drink driver who caused crash which killed her friend

Mother-of-one Leanne Ruston careered down a residential road in Staffordshire at over 60mph - more than three times the speed limit.

A court heard that she ignored pleas by others in the car to slow down.

Ruston lost control trying to avoid a parked car on a road with traffic-calming humps. Her Hyundai i20 overturned and one of the passengers, Connor Sands, was thrown out.

The 18-year-old landed on a wall and died from severe head injuries, Miss Fiona Cortese, prosecuting, told Stafford Crown Court.

After the accident, Ruston was breath-tested, giving a reading of 59mcg, the legal limit being 35.

Ruston, aged 23, of Needwood Hill, Lichfield, admitted a charge of causing the teenager's death by dangerous driving. She was also banned from driving for five years.

Judge Mark Eades told her: "I take the view this was a very bad piece of driving. There are a number of aggravating features - excessive speed, 64mph three times the legal speed limit; alcohol - 59mcg in breath; ignoring warnings of others in the car to slow down; driving an overloaded car and a car not in particularly good condition in relation to brakes and tyres."

The crash happened in Lichfield in the early hours of October 12 last year. Mr Sands had been out with friends in the city centre.

He was one of six people being given a lift by Ruston. Also in the car was her brother Jordan Ruston, as well as Aaron Reed, Tom Walls, Rory Dolman and Joshua Cunnett.

All of them, including the defendant, had been drinking and were laughing and joking about being 'squashed in'.

Ruston set off slowly but in Dimbles Hill began to accelerate and Mr Sands was one of several passengers shouting to her to slow down. The accident happened in nearby Curborough Road.

One of the passengers described the aftermath as 'like a horror movie'.

When police arrived, Ruston's brother was still trapped in the car. She told officers: "I am devastated. I've tried to recall events but I can't remember."

She later said there was loud music, the passengers were bouncing around and shouting, one was pulling at her arm and saying 'let me drive'.

In a victim impact statement Connor's mother Katie said it was 'any mother's worst nightmare.'

Mr David Munro, defending, said: "She has always accepted this was her fault. She is wracked with remorse. She cannot explain why she drove in the way she did."

Ruston has a three-year-old son.