23-year-old given three year jail term following fatal crash in Coddenham

A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in jail following a fatal collision in Coddenham.

Josh Caines, pictured above) of Kingshill Road, Swindon, (formerly from the Witnesham area) pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit when he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday, January 2.

Today, Friday, January 5, Caines was sentenced to three years in jail and was also disqualified from driving for three-and-a-half years.

 Police were called on Saturday, October 15, 2016, at 11.10 am, to reports of a single vehicle collision on Church Road. Officers attended and found a man in a red Mini car which was off the road. The passenger in the vehicle, 21-year-old Ben Fulcher, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Caines, was arrested at the scene at 1.30pm in connection with the incident. Officers believe that the collision took place sometime in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Sergeant Scott Lee-Amies from the Serious Collision Investigation Team said: “This tragic collision has had terrible consequences for all those involved. Having suffered an unimaginable loss in such circumstances I would also like to express my condolences and thanks to Ben Fulcher’s family who have been very supportive throughout the investigation.”

Following the sentencing Ben Fulcher’s family issued the following statement saying: “The sentence given in court today will never reflect the pain of losing Ben. The longer courts continue to hand out short prison sentences to drink drivers, the more deaths there will be on our roads. Deaths that could have been avoided. People need to realise that the risk of killing or being killed is very real and this ultimately destroys lives.

“Between 2010 – 2016 breath tests conducted by police in England and Wales have fallen by 37%. Some drivers choose to take the risk as they feel they won’t get caught. Drink drivers need to fear detection every day, not just in December campaigns. Our roads cannot be made safe until drink drivers are detected and deterred.

“The past 15 months have been the most difficult period of our lives. Throughout this time we have been unable to grieve whilst we have waited to finally hear a guilty plea and Josh Caines to take responsibility for his actions.

“As a family we would like to thank those that have supported us and will continue to do so. This includes 4YP Ipswich Counselling, The NHS Mental Health Services and Pc Allie Cotton from the Serious Collision Investigation Team with Suffolk Police. If it wasn’t for Allie and the Serious Collision Team’s persistence and commitment to this investigation we do not know how we would have coped.

“Ben will forever be remembered as a kind, funny and loyal young man. We miss him every day and the heartache of losing him will last a lifetime. We feel honoured and are proud to have had him in our lives for 21 years.”