A MOTORIST on heroin who caused a pedestrian's death while hurrying home to meet a police curfew yesterday failed to win a cut in his nine-year sentence at London's Appeal Court.
Darren Vout, 26, was on bail for two suspected burglaries at the time of the August 2000 tragedy in which he knocked down 49-year-old Frederick Brown, in Harrowgate Lane, Stockton, Teesside.
Mr Brown had just left the Hardwick Social Club when Vout's car veered on to the wrong side of the road and hit him. He died soon afterwards.
Sentencing Vout at Teesside Crown Court on July 6 last year, Judge Armstrong said he had failed to stop after the collision.
Dismissing Vout's sentence appeal yesterday, Mr Justice Gross said he had used heroin and cannabis on the day of the accident.
Vout, of Norfolk Street, Stockton, had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, for which he received a sentence of six and a half years.
He also admitted two burglaries for which he received a consecutive sentence of two and a half years.
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