A TEENAGE driver who admitted accidentally killing two motorcyclists yet walked free on a technicality has now been jailed.

Joshua Kempster crashed into grandfathers Andrew Cuthbert, 58, and Southampton man Gary Groves, 62, who had been out riding with friends.

Both men - who were 'extremely responsible drivers' - were killed at the scene, leaving their families 'devastated', the court heard.

The Crown Prosecution Service originally charged Kempster with dangerous driving and when he was acquitted by a jury he was able to walk free from court as they had failed to accept his guilty pleas to the lesser charge of death by careless driving.

However, six months on, the 19-year-old was today brought back to court, his pleas accepted and he was jailed for ten months for his part in the tragic crash on February 2 2020.

Kempster, dressed in a suit, spoke only to say he 'understood' the judge's sentence.

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Julie Groves, Mr Groves' wife who had been with him since they were just 15, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and she cried as she read her statement to the court.

The wife of Mr Groves, of Kinsbourne Close, Thornhill, Southampton, said: "I felt peace in my heart knowing Gary would be there for everybody in the future when I was gone.

"Why did you do this to Gary? Your actions were so shameful and totally unlawful."

After the hearing, Sarah Knight, the 36-year-old daughter of Gary Groves, said outside the court: "It's like time has stood still and it's like being in hell on earth.

"We felt completely devastated after the trial.

"Kempster has changed our lives forever. You can't grieve when you have this going on and the stress and anxiety spills over into our lives.

"My mum is now left living alone. We lost my dad's brother Mike to a brain tumour which the consultant said is highly likely to the trauma of losing his brother.

"We're never going to have justice. He gets to leave prison and his family is still there.

"He set out that day knowing what he was doing. We're always going to live with this void."

Mary Marsh, Mr Cuthbert's mother, died last year from a terminal illness, but a statement read on her behalf to the court said: "I really do not want to go to my grave not finding out what happened to his case.

"No mother should ever have to endure their son's funeral."

Portsmouth Crown Court heard Kempster, of Church Lane, West Meon, was driving home with a friend in his Ford Fiesta Zetec near Bishop's Waltham and Corhampton when the crash happened at approximately 4pm.

His trial had heard he was attempting to overtake on a blind bend at the time of the accident.

The court heard Kempster had been looking at a vehicle approaching behind him in his rear view mirror for 'too long' resulting in him pulling out on a bend after getting too close to a Kia in front.

The hearing was told he then swerved back into the car, causing both vehicles to spin.

The Kia exploded in a fireball, engulfing one rider while the other motorcyclist slammed into a fence with Mr Cuthbert and Mr Groves having no chance to avoid the crash.

During the four-day trial in July last year, Kempster denied driving 'dangerously' in the £6,500 Fiesta and that he was a boy racer, instead arguing he had been distracted by a BMW 3 Series driving quickly behind him.

He was then cleared of two counts of dangerous driving.

Kempster had earlier pleaded guilty to careless driving but as the prosecution did not accept his plea - instead arguing for the higher charge of dangerous driving - it was no longer valid.

As a result the court had 'no option' but to discharge him from the proceedings and let him walk free in August last year. He was then re-arraigned in November on two charges of causing death by careless driving.

Ms Patterson, prosecuting, told today's hearing: "The presence of 2.8 micrograms of cannabis in his system is relevant - it is an aggravating factor.

"It demonstrates that Kempster has consumed cannabis and then has taken the decision to get into the car knowing that he had taken cannabis."

The teenager had 2.8 micrograms of cannabis in his system - the legal limit is 2.0 micrograms. He was not charged with a drug-related offence.

owever, judge Timothy Mousley QC said there was insufficient evidence to conclude his driving had been impaired by the drug.

Sentencing Kempster, judge Mousley said: "[Andrew Cuthbert and Gary Groves] had a reputation for being extremely responsible drivers and very safety conscious.

"No criticism can be levelled at them in any way for what happened.

"Andrew Cuthbert was a family man, a devoted caring man. Gary Groves' wife was 15 years old when they met and they had spent a life together.

"They were two very good men and their families are devastated. Not a day will go by when they do not think of them.

"Many lives have been shattered by what happened that day and having heard their clearly written statements, I have a very clear picture of the two men.

"No sentence that I pass today can even begin to compensate for your loss.

"The jury were not convinced that you were driving dangerously...You must have been aware of the dangerous way you were driving."

Kempster will serve a ten month custodial sentence, half of which he will be released on licence. He is banned from driving for two and a half years.

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