Police say Portsmouth woman killed by drink and drug driver was ‘innocent pedestrian’ who would still be alive but for driver

Danny Conaghan, of Sywell Crescent, Portsmouth, killed ‘warm-hearted’ 55-year-old Sharon Randall, known as Polly, in a horror crash on Winston Churchill Avenue on August 3, 2021. The ‘illuminated’ pedestrian was struck by the Vauxhall Corsa the 34-year-old was driving while he was nearly eight times the drug-drive limit with cocaine and nearly twice the drink-drive limit, as previously reported.

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Portsmouth Crown Court heard Conaghan was ‘straddling’ the side of the eastbound carriageway bus lane approaching a pedestrian crossing when he smashed into the victim and only applied the brakes six-and-a-half seconds after impact. Forensic collision investigators estimated he was speeding between 40mph and 46mph in the 30mph road at the time of impact - sending Ms Randall flying through the air before she came to rest 28 metres from where she was struck.

Conaghan was jailed for six years and nine months and banned from driving for 10 years after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Speaking after the sentence, police sergeant Jonathan Bates, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, has now said: ‘Conaghan selfishly got behind the wheel of a car when he was drunk and on drugs. He did not care that this put other people at risk and proceeded to drive well above the speed limit.

‘Mrs Randall was an innocent pedestrian and her family has been devastated by this tragic loss of life. If Conaghan had not been driving that night after drinking and taking drugs then she would still be alive.

‘This man will now be behind bars for taking a woman’s life. I hope this sentence sends a clear message to anyone thinking of doing something as reckless as drink or drug driving that it is not worth the risk.’

As reported, judge Michael Bowes KC said: ‘The combination of alcohol and cocaine rendered you wholly unfit to drive and made you a lethal menace. Drink and drugs is the leading contributory factor as to why you failed to see Polly Randall in the road and failed to react. You drove at excessive speed while heavily intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine.’

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