Somerset drink-driver jailed for killing woman after pub visit filmed a video saying he was ‘smashed’

A man who said he was “f****** smashed” on camera from his van before going on to fatally collide with a woman has been sentenced to jail.

Anton Hull, from Somerset, was driving near Wincanton when he hit and killed 29-year-old Sarah Baker, after he had been in a nearby pub.

Hull had filmed himself on his mobile phone, saying he was “f****** smashed” before hitting Ms Baker’s oncoming Volkswagen car.

She had been driving to the area from London to get away for a few days.

Emergency services attended the scene at Anchor Hill at around 11.05pm on 18 August, after a member of the public came across the incident shortly after it happened.

Somerset and Avon police said the call handler was told by the person at the scene they suspected Hull had been drinking, while another said he “stank of booze”.

He was taken to Yeovil District Hospital, where a blood test estimated Hull to be one-and-a-half to two times over the legal limit.

The police force said it was told Hull was drinking at a pub in South Cadbury, and had consumed drinks including rum and lager, and was refused service from 10.30pm onwards.

Hull, 21, from Galhampton, near Castle Cary, admitted to causing death by dangerous driving and was given a six-year jail sentence and nine-year driving ban at North Somerset Courthouse.

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His Honour Judge Edward Burgess told Hull: “Your dangerous driving killed Sarah Baker, having made a selfish decision to drive despite warnings, knowing full well you were too drunk to do so. Your driving was significantly impaired, and you used your phone to record yourself driving in an intoxicated state.

“Words cannot do justice to the enormity and needless tragedy of this incident.”

Officer in the case, Dai Nicholas, said: “My heart goes out to the family of Sarah Baker. She was only 29 years old and had her whole life ahead of her before it was cruelly snatched away in this tragic incident.

“Sarah’s family have experienced incredible pain and today’s sentence won’t end that. We desperately hope though that awareness of what happened to her stops someone in future from getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, because doing so can kill.”

In a statement, Ms Baker’s family said: “She was the most caring, loyal and generous daughter, sister, niece, cousin, friend and most recently aunty anyone could hope to have in their lives.

“The immeasurable pain we feel is so unnecessary when Sarah’s death was entirely preventable. The utterly selfish act of one individual has ended her life and ruined those lives around her.”