City broker killed couple in crash

A drunken City broker who killed a married couple when his powerful four-wheel-drive slammed into the back of their car at 90mph was today branded a "pitiful coward".

Simon Oakley drove into Dick and Val Hunt after drinking two gin and tonics, a Pimm's and a pint of beer at a wedding reception.

Today, as 32-year-old commodities broker Oakley starts a four-year jail term, brothers Carl and Damon Waldron said they would never be able to forgive the "pitiful coward" who killed their mother and stepfather.

The couple, who had been married for 22 years, were left trapped in the wreckage and dying of their injuries while Oakley fled the scene. Carl, 43,

said: "I cannot forgive him. Not after he recklessly drove his car and ploughed into the back of this couple who brought joy to so many lives, and not after he ran away and left them dead rather than try to help them.

"I hope he thinks about what he has done every day for the rest of his life."

The accident happened after Oakley left the wedding reception in his Range Rover and headed for home on the M3.

Mr Hunt was also returning home to Sunbury, Middlesex, with his 65-yearold wife, a retired civil servant, after the couple had celebrated his 51st birthday with Damon, 39.

Oakley's car flew into the back of the Hunts' Ford Escort, shunting it into a 200-yard skid across the motorway-The Hunts, who had five grandchildren, both suffered a broken spine in the impact and died in the wreckage.

Oakley, who was twice over the drink-drive limit, sped off and was only found five hours later by police sniffer dogs. It is thought he had been hiding in bushes.

After Oakley, from Richmond, eventually pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, the Hunts' children poured scorn on his claims of remorse.

"He hid for five hours rather than help the police and he spent huge amounts of money and 15 months looking for any technicality that could save him from taking responsibility," said Carl, a software salesman. "I think he looks to us to give him some credit for eventually pleading guilty. I would say this to you, Simon Oakley, the court may have reduced your sentence for doing so but I give you no credit at all.

"Five grandchildren have lost their grandparents. That's one of the reasons we feel bitter. The grandchildren are truly the victims."

Mr Hunt, a tax inspector, had been planning to take early retirement.

"Oakley has had an opportunity to say goodbye to his friends and family because he knew he was going away for a while. We didn't have that opportunity," said Carl, from Camberley.

Damon, an electrical wholesaler from Farnborough, added: "I have an eight-month-old son, Wilf, and I get upset when he does things I know Mum would have loved."