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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Man jailed for causing cyclists' deaths in Purley | Man jailed for causing cyclists' deaths in Purley |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who killed two cyclists after driving a stolen car while almost two-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit has been jailed. | A man who killed two cyclists after driving a stolen car while almost two-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit has been jailed. |
| Alexander Walters, 31, struck John Moorland, 30, and Kris Jarvis, 39, in Purley Rise, Purley-on-Thames, on 13 February. Both men died at the scene. | Alexander Walters, 31, struck John Moorland, 30, and Kris Jarvis, 39, in Purley Rise, Purley-on-Thames, on 13 February. Both men died at the scene. |
| Walters was sentenced to 10 years and three months for dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking. | Walters was sentenced to 10 years and three months for dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking. |
| He pleaded guilty to a total of seven offences at Reading Crown Court. | He pleaded guilty to a total of seven offences at Reading Crown Court. |
| The other offences included driving while disqualified and driving while uninsured. | The other offences included driving while disqualified and driving while uninsured. |
| He was sentenced to 12 months for each of the other offences to run concurrently. | He was sentenced to 12 months for each of the other offences to run concurrently. |
| Taken cocaine | Taken cocaine |
| Walters, of Beech Road, Purley, was driving the stolen BMW at about 70mph (112kph) in a 30mph (48kph) zone when he lost control and hit the two cyclists. He then hit a lamp post. | Walters, of Beech Road, Purley, was driving the stolen BMW at about 70mph (112kph) in a 30mph (48kph) zone when he lost control and hit the two cyclists. He then hit a lamp post. |
| Tests showed, as well as being over the drink-drive limit, he had also taken cocaine within the previous 24 hours. | Tests showed, as well as being over the drink-drive limit, he had also taken cocaine within the previous 24 hours. |
| Judge John Reddihough told Walters the evidence against him was "overwhelming". | Judge John Reddihough told Walters the evidence against him was "overwhelming". |
| "Seven children are left without a father and two women have been left without partners," he added. | "Seven children are left without a father and two women have been left without partners," he added. |
| The court was told Walters had fled from police who had been alerted by his partner that he had stolen the car minutes before the crash. | The court was told Walters had fled from police who had been alerted by his partner that he had stolen the car minutes before the crash. |
| Adopted by vicar | |
| Walters, previously from Cardiff, was a Russian-born orphan adopted by a Welsh vicar when he was 17. | |
| In 2001 he was sentenced to two years custody after phoning a bomb hoax to Heathrow Airport just days after the 11 September terror attacks on the United States. | |
| In 2003 he was jailed for six months after duping several airlines in a plot that mirrored the film Catch Me If You Can, for using a chequebook from his failed company to buy flights to destinations including the United States, Johannesburg and Sydney. | |
| Reading Crown Court heard he had appeared in court on 14 occasions over 67 offences. He had been disqualified from driving for four years in 2010. |