A MAN has admitted causing the death of a Hampshire mum-of-two Tereasa Cutler by dangerous driving.

Lewis Faulkner, 25, had initially denied the charge, but has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, death while uninsured and three charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was this afternoon sentenced to four years and four months in jail and banned from driving for four years and eight months. 

Faulkner, of Coburg Road, Dorchester was driving his BMW 3 Series when he collided with a Ford Fiesta being driven by Ms Cutler on the A31, near Lake Gates in Wimborne, in June last year.

He admitted taking cannabis and ecstacy five days before the accident and the court was told this could have contributed to the drowsiness he felt that day.

Ms Cutler, 49, from Ringwood, was driving home from the funeral of her sister Patricia Woodland, a former South Western Ambulance Service technician, at the Harbour View Woodland Burial Ground in Poole.

Her 18-year-old daughter Alice, 16-year-old son Daniel and 19-year-old nephew Joseph Woodland were also in her Ford Fiesta and also suffered injuries.

They spent many weeks receiving specialist treatment in hospitals in Poole and Southampton. Faulkner and his passenger were also injured.

Ms Cutler was the welfare officer of Ringwood Football Club's youth groups, managing the safety of 200 youngsters in 20 teams.

At the time of the crash in June last year she was driving home from the funeral of her sister Patricia Woodland, a former South Western Ambulance Service technician, at the Harbour View Woodland Burial Ground in Poole.

Tereasa's daughter Alice read a victim impact statement to court. Read it here. 

Many tributes were paid by family members and by those who worked with her, including by her daughter Alice who said she was "incredibly selfless" and "beautiful, smiley, happy and radiant".

Speaking on behalf of the family, Alice released a statement a month after the death of her mother.

She wrote: “Tereasa was beautiful, smiley, happy and radiant. She lit up a room when she entered with her happy and hard-working personality. To know that she passed in such a horrific way is something that both Daniel and I will always struggle to come to terms with."

Police warning over drug-driving 

A SENIOR police officer has warned against driving after taking drugs after investigating what he described as "an absolutely tragic set of circumstances."

Inspector Matt Butler spoke out after the court heard Lewis Faulkner had both Ecstasy and cannabis in his system at the time of the horrific crash.

Toxicology tests revealed both drugs in his blood despite Faulkner telling officers he took the drugs five days before the accident.

The court heard that it is "unlikely" but "just possible" that Ecstasy would still have been in his system after five days. The judge heard he would have taken a large dose for it to be possible.

After the case, Insp Butler said: "This accident has had a devastating impact on the victims and I would like to pay tribute to Alice, Dan and Joe.

"We know that people take recreational drugs but they may not know that the effects of the drugs stay with you for a very long time.

"We know that the drugs were still in his system. Drowsiness caused him to cross the the wrong side of the road."

The court was told that Faulkner failed to negotiate a bend, crossed to the wrong side of the road and made no attempt to brake or to change course.