Fakenham man Luke Barnard jailed after causing death of woman in crash on A148

A 29-year-old has been jailed after crashing his car while drunk and killing his passenger.

Claire Williamson, 41, died in the early hours of Christmas Eve in 2021 while being driven by Luke Barnard along the A148 at East Rudham.

The road remained closed for more than eight hours after the silver Vauxhall Insignia that Barnard was driving crashed, with the victim pronounced dead at the scene.

Barnard, of Hall Close in Fakenham, was arrested at the time on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving.

On Friday, he was sentenced to three years in prison for causing death by careless driving when unfit through drink.

He has also been disqualified from driving for four years, and must take an extended re-test when that period ends.

That ban was originally two years and six months in length, but was uplifted by 18 months.

Further charges of driving while unfit through drink and drink-driving, to which no pleas were entered, will remain on file.

Barnard was previously handed a preliminary driving ban on April 27 this year, and will also pay a £190 victim surcharge.