Drug-driver who killed mum-of-two in horror smash while he raced to pick up newborn from hospital weeps as he's jailed

A DRUG driver who killed a mum-of-two as she raced to hospital to pick up her newborn baby wept as he was jailed for nine years.

Paul Wright, 31, overtook other cars and jumped a red light at 60km/h in a 40km/h zone moments before hitting Jane Hickson.

Jane Hickson killed in horrific crash with drugged driver Credit: Cavendish

Paul Wright was sentenced to nine years in prison Credit: Cavendish

A mother (57) was taking her daughter Olivia to visit her grandmother when she suffered multiple injuries in a horrific accident.

Tragically, Olivia was told by her father John that her mother had died while she was being treated for her own injuries.

When he was arrested, Wright told officers that his second child, who had just been born, was missing and that he was rushing to the hospital.

The BMW driver added: “I don’t care about me now – I’ve destroyed their family.”

Wright wept as he was jailed for nine years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

Chester Crown Court heard Jane was driving near the family home in Upton in November 2023 when the tragedy happened.

In a victim impact statement, husband John said: “I’m trying to stay strong on the outside but inside I’m completely broken and consumed with emotional pain.

“It is my understanding that the defendant was collecting his newborn from the same hospital where Jane died and Olivia was treated.

“But he was driving dangerously and impaired the whole way. If he hadn’t collided with Jane, he probably would have risked the lives of his baby and his partner while driving them home.

“This is the only way I can try to find a reason for Jane’s death, that she prevented the death of someone else – in this case this person’s own family.”

The court heard that Wright was driving his BMW X5 “at a very high rate of speed” before the crash.

One driver remarked that he was “going to kill himself or someone else” as he jumped red lights, rear-ended other cars and drove “violently and aggressively”.

Jane, who ran her own fitness instructor business, was hit by Wright as she entered the intersection – causing her car to spin 360 degrees.

Other road users attacked the father for driving “like an idiot” as he stopped further down the road.

The police performed a drug test at the scene which showed a positive reading for cannabis.

Although a blood test showed he was below the legal limit for drugs, prosecutors insisted he was driving under the influence.

He was previously caught driving under the influence of drugs in an unrelated incident while ten times over the limit for the cocaine compound BZE.

There was a Home Office delay in testing his drug sample, which meant he could legally have remained on the road at the time of the fatal crash.

The court was told that Olivia had back pain and cuts and bruises to her body after the accident.

She said: “I hope he can look at his actions and say ‘Was it worth it?’ He broke up the family.

“The fact that he knew before going through the red light it could have been anyone. Someone would get hurt with that kind of behavior.

“I don’t wish harm on anyone, but I think he should look at his actions and see how it has affected so many people.

“My life will never be the same, and neither will my brother’s life. My mom won’t be at my graduation, nor at my wedding, nor at my brother’s wedding, all because he wanted to get somewhere faster. It’s just not worth it.”