Paul Henshaw 54, a drink driver who is blind in one eye was jailed for eight years yesterday after killing two people in a horror smash. Henshaw who already had three convictions for drink-driving and was disqualified at the time, was also banned for life.
Henshaw pulled his Mitsubishi Pajero into the path of a car on the A19 near Hartlepool, killing Ford Escort driver Andrew Grimes and his partner Lillian Prest, both 44.
Henshaw, blinded in his left eye in an accident at 19, had never held a full licence. A blood test four hours after showed he was twice the drink-drive limit, Teesside crown court heard.
Judge Bryan Forster told him: "You have no regard for other citizens." Dad-of-five Mr Grimes, of Middlesbrough, and mum-of-five Ms Prest, of Murton, Co Durham, were killed when Henshaw pulled out from the central reservation.
Henshaw admitted causing death by careless driving while intoxicated.
Jane Martin, mother of three of Mr Grimes's children, said: "Our lives have been destroyed forever because of drink-driving."
