Drink driver's fatal mistake

Stephen James Wilson

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A REPEAT drink driver was nearly three times over the limit when he crashed a Porsche before leaving his close friend at the scene who later died.

Stephen James Wilson (46) had been drinking with his friend of 30 years, Danny Schofield (42), on the morning of March 22. While intoxicated they decided to drive Danny's blue Porsche Boxster. Wilson drove the car at a speed of at least 80mph when he hit a bend on Greenacres Road at around 2pm and lost control of the vehicle. The rear of the car smashed into a lamppost before hitting a bricked shed which bounced it into the middle of the road, a court at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court heard on Friday.

Witnesses went to help and as Wilson came round he fled the scene, leaving Danny, who was heard to say "Ste, you've broken my back" in the car.

Wilson fled to a nearby friend's house where he told him he had crashed the car. His friend went to the scene to see Danny being taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital and told police Wilson was at his home. A breathalyser test showed Wilson had 87mgs of alcohol per 100ml of breath and a test later at the station showed 70mg. The legal limit is 35mg.

At hospital Danny had shown signs of improvement but went into cardiac arrest and died.

Wilson was a repeat drink driving offender and had been prosecuted for drink driving offences on three other occasions.

A statement from Danny's mum, Annette Schofield, explained how his death had torn their family apart.

She said: "On March 22, 2017, just before tea time, I received a phone call that would change our lives forever.

"I can't tell you how big that void is. It is a void that will never be filled. We used to leave the garden gate open for him to call by, but we close that now.

"We don't sleep properly anymore, my brain doesn't shut down. We were a very close family and now it has torn us apart.

"He was a golden child. Our lives will never be the same again."

Defence Council Mr Jarvis, said Wilson has been left devastated by the accident and realises his mistake. He was looking to get help for alcohol dependency but accepts it is "too little too late" in relation to Danny.

Judge Paul Lawton, said: "This is a tragic case, more so because it was entirely of your making. Nothing this court says today can restore Mr Schofield to his family."

Wilson, who pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, drink driving and driving without insurance, was sentenced to eight years in prison and disqualified from driving for 10 years.