A van driver has been jailed for causing a crash that left one woman dead and her friend seriously injured.

Patrick Richardson Jr ploughed into motorcyclist La-Nae Woodley and her pillion passenger, Deidre Morgan, before fleeing the scene.

Today Richardson, 27, was jailed for four years after admitted causing the death of Ms Woodley and seriously injuring Ms Morgan by dangerous driving.

The court heard that Richardson failed to stop at the junction of Cobbs Hill Road and Middle Road and crashed into Ms Woodley’s bike.

Prosecutor Loxly Ricketts said that Richardson had been drinking in Hamilton during the day before he got behind the wheel and had been ejected from Spring Garden for loud and disorderly behaviour.

Ms Woodley, 22, a popular sportswoman from the Friswells Hill area, had previously worked in an after-school programme before starting a course at Bermuda College.

She sustained fatal injuries as a result of the accident that took place in Warwick at just after 4am on April 18, last year.

Ms Morgan, who was riding as her friend’s pillion passenger, suffered serious injuries and was treated at hospital.

This afternoon Richardson, of Duck’s Puddle, Hamilton Parish told the court: “I am sorry to the family. I wish I had stayed at the scene and called someone.

“I take full responsibility.”

Puisne Judge Charles Etta Simmons also imposed a five year driving ban on Richardson.

During today’s highly emotive sentencing hearing Ms Woodley’s father, Dean Eve, was arrested on suspicion of contempt of court. It is unclear at present exactly what prompted his arrest, however Mr Eve was taken from the Supreme Court to the Hamilton Police Station.

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