Woman jailed over crash that killed footballer

A woman has been jailed after admitting causing the death of a footballer who was fatally injured in a car crash.

Kyle Shimwell, 21, was a passenger in a Fiat 500 that crashed into a shop in King Street in Bakewell, Derbyshire, on 7 January 2023.

The Bakewell Town player was taken to hospital but died two days later.

At Derby Crown Court, Lucy Pegler, who admitted causing death through careless driving and while unfit through drink at an earlier hearing, was jailed for four and a half years.

Pegler was initially charged with causing death by dangerous driving, which she denied.

The court heard Pegler, 22, of East Bank in Winster, near Matlock, had finished her shift at a pub and then met Mr Shimwell, with whom she was in a relationship.

CCTV showed her downing her own and other people's drinks in two further pubs before getting into her car with Mr Shimwell and two others.

After dropping off one of her passengers, Pegler drove back through the town, with Mr Shimwell hanging partly out of the passenger window.

She lost control at a turning and crashed into a shop, with Mr Shimwell's head hitting the building.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Shimwell's family said they "can't put into words the pain losing Kyle has brought into our lives".

Judge Jonathan Straw said: "You took a decision to drive when, through drink, you were wholly incapable of doing so.

"Your actions have cost one life and irrevocably affected those of countless others, including yourself."

Pegler was also banned from driving for five years.

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