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| Man jailed for 13 months for 'brutal' death of woman he ran over | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Ms Howard was comforted by members of the public before she died | Ms Howard was comforted by members of the public before she died |
| A man has been jailed for 13 months after hitting an elderly woman with his van, before running over her "several times" while he tried to reverse. | |
| Beryl Howard, 83, suffered "unsurvivable injuries" in the "brutal" incident on Green Lane Avenue in Street, Somerset. | |
| Driver Reece McKinven, 31, was jailed at Taunton Crown Court on Tuesday and banned from driving for two-and-a-half years after admitting causing death by careless driving. | |
| Ms Howard's daughter, Sharon Perry, said her loss had been made worse because she "suffered such a horrific death". | |
| When officers arrested McKinven, of of Pearmain Road in Street, they found 0.5g of cannabis on him, as well as cannabis in his system. | |
| More of the drug was found in his van when it was seized by police after the fatal episode, which happened just before 17:20 GMT on 16 March, 2023.. | |
| He later admitted causing death by careless driving, causing death by driving a vehicle without a licence, causing death by driving a vehicle without insurance, and possession of a class B drug. | |
| Reece McKinven was found to be just under the legal limit for cannabis when he reversed over his victim four times | Reece McKinven was found to be just under the legal limit for cannabis when he reversed over his victim four times |
| Sentencing judge Cook said he accepted that McKinven "genuinely" failed to realise Ms Howard was behind him, but he had a "history of offences and it shows a cavalier attitude to driving". | Sentencing judge Cook said he accepted that McKinven "genuinely" failed to realise Ms Howard was behind him, but he had a "history of offences and it shows a cavalier attitude to driving". |
| Despite McKinven having traces of cannabis in his system, the level was not above the legal limit for prosecution. | Despite McKinven having traces of cannabis in his system, the level was not above the legal limit for prosecution. |
| However, Ray Howard, Ms Howard's son, argued it was an "arbitrary cut-off point". | |
| "If McKinven had even the tiniest amount more in his system, the judge would have been free to pass a much longer sentence," he said. | "If McKinven had even the tiniest amount more in his system, the judge would have been free to pass a much longer sentence," he said. |
| "Anyone who knowingly gets into a vehicle having consumed illegal drugs should be held fully accountable for their actions." | "Anyone who knowingly gets into a vehicle having consumed illegal drugs should be held fully accountable for their actions." |
| 'Heartbreak and anger' | 'Heartbreak and anger' |
| Mr Howard said their mother's "sudden and brutal death" had left their family "shattered". | |
| "Beryl was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who brought immense joy and love to all who knew her," he said. | "Beryl was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who brought immense joy and love to all who knew her," he said. |
| "Knowing that McKinven was driving without a licence, without insurance, and after consuming illegal drugs only deepens our heartbreak and anger at the entirely preventable nature of this tragedy. | "Knowing that McKinven was driving without a licence, without insurance, and after consuming illegal drugs only deepens our heartbreak and anger at the entirely preventable nature of this tragedy. |
| "We are grateful that someone sat with her whilst she died, otherwise she would have been on her own in her last few minutes of life." | "We are grateful that someone sat with her whilst she died, otherwise she would have been on her own in her last few minutes of life." |
| Ms Howard's daughter, Sharon Perry, added: "We are a close family and saw Beryl almost every day. She is greatly missed. | Ms Howard's daughter, Sharon Perry, added: "We are a close family and saw Beryl almost every day. She is greatly missed. |
| "It has been so much harder as she suffered such a horrific death. It is so hard to bear thinking of the pain and terror she must have felt. | |
| "We will never get over what happened to her." | |
| Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook, external and X, external. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. | Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook, external and X, external. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. |