THE DAUGHTER of a woman killed by a ‘bat out of hell’ driver from Banbury spoke of the devastating impact her mother’s death.
Christopher Mattin, 34, of Dairy Grounds, Kings Sutton, near Banbury, was drunk, on drugs, serving a driving ban and had never even had a full licence when he lost control while driving at dangerous speeds along Stowe Avenue, near Buckingham, on May 10, 2020.
Mattin, who the judge said was driving like a 'lunatic' and a 'bat out of hell', crashed into a tree. His passenger and girlfriend Sarah Jacobs, a mother in her late-30s, tragically lost her life, Oxford Mail sister paper the Bucks Free Press reports.
In a tribute released after Mattin was jailed for 10-and-a-half years yesterday, Ms Jacobs’ daughter Ellie described her mum as a ‘kind-hearted, beautiful woman’ who always helped others.
She said: “She truly had a heart of gold, no matter what battles she was facing in life, she would always have a bubbly positive attitude and a beautiful smile on her face, which would light up any room she walked into.
“She was the only person who I could trust, lean on and go to with anything.
“Losing a parent is something that you will never get over, no matter how old you are but my mum was my best friend, sister and my mum all in one.
“It was always me and her against the world. It is impossible for me to even put into words how much losing my mum has changed not only my life but me as a person, there will always be an empty space in my life where she should have been.”
She added: “I still look for her, begging for her to walk through the door, throw her arms around me and tell me everything’s going to be ok.”
Sentencing at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday, Judge Francis Sheridan told Mattin: “You drove like a bat out of hell, like a complete lunatic and a selfish one, intoxicated and under the influence of drink and drugs.
“We don’t know quite how stoned you were but stoned as you were you killed this young lady’s mum and you maimed your relative.
“You were driving at massive speed, 91mph in a 60 and in a 30, three times the limit. You were clearly unfit to drive.
“Sarah Jacobs had her life snuffed out, snuffed out by your dangerous driving.”
The court heard that Mattin was behind the wheel of Ms Jacob’s Ford Focus when he crashed shortly before 6.30am on May 10, 2020. Ms Jacobs, his girlfriend, was beside him in the passenger seat and his 18-year-old nephew was in the back of the car.
He was believed to have been doing around 90mph when the speed limit on Stowe Avenue, Buckingham, changed from 60mph to 30mph.
Mattin, who later failed breathalyser and drug tests, swerved to avoid a parked vehicle, lost control of the car and ploughed into a tree.
Ms Jacobs was killed instantly, the nephew was thrown from the car and Mattin managed to escape from the vehicle, which burst into flames.
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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.
To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward
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