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Text death crash woman jailed

by LotusFlower | February 2, 2009 at 10:45 am

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A woman who crashed into and killed another motorist whilst using her mobile phone to text friends has been jailed for 3 years.

The judge hopes that this will send out a powerful warning message to all those tempted to use their phone whilst driving.

The driver Philippa Curtis, 21, from Suffolk, is said to be devastated by what she has done, but this remorse was not enough to save her from jail.

A motorist who sent and received more than 20 text messages before she crashed into another car killing its driver has been jailed for 21 months.

Philippa Curtis, 21, from Suffolk, was texting before she hit the back of a stationary car at 70mph on the A40 near Wheatley in Oxfordshire.

Victoria McBryde from Northamptonshire, who was dealing with a burst tyre, was killed in the crash in November 2007.

Curtis, of Bury St Edmunds, was also given a three-year driving ban.

Judge Julian Hall said it had been "folly and madness" to use a phone while driving and it had been "disastrous" for Curtis, Ms McBryde and her family.