DEATH CRASH DRIVER JAILED FOR SIX YEARS; Mum died in booze smash.

Byline: Gordon McIlwraith

A DRINK driver who killed a young mum in a car crash was yesterday jailed for six years.

Robert Park, 22, was more than twice the drinks limit and had taken drugs beforesmashing his Volvo into a post.

Stacey Muldoon, 23, who had accepted a lift as she was desperate to get home, was flung from the back seat and fatally injured.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Kinclaven told Park: "Those who drive dangerously must realise that all too often the consequences are fatal.

"Your driving had the grave quality of being dangerous and you had been drinking."

The court heard Park, of Bellshill, Lanarkshire, had taken a diazepam tablet before last July's crash.

Mum-of-two Stacey had been on a night out at a bar in Larkhall, Lanarkshire, with friends.

Swerved She got separated from them and sent texts asking if anyone could take her home to Stonehouse, six miles away.

Stacey eventually met pal Derek Lambie and they bumped into Park, who agreed to drive them home.

But the car swerved violently as he drove at speeds of up to 55mph in the 30mph zone. He lost control and crashed into a pole on the B7078 in Strutherhill, Larkhall.

Backseat passenger Stacey was thrown forward, suffering neck and chest injuries.

The shop assistant never regained consciousness. Her daughters Cerys, six, and Mayeh, three, are now looked after by her parents.

Lord Kinclaven told Park only his guilty plea to causing death by dangerous driving saved him from a nine-year sentence.

The judge also banned Park from driving for eight years.

CAPTION(S):

MISSED: Stacey was a mum-of-two