Chesterfield woman ran over and killed partner after row in tragic accident

Lucy Quirke, 39, was heard shouting “help, help, he’s dead” and “he threw himself in front of my car” as she bent over his body in the road while his neighbours looked on.

The tragic accident happened on Winchester Road, Newbold, on October 25 2021, where John Wright lived, the night before his 28th birthday.

Derby Crown Court heard the highways worker had fallen into the road as he walked around the front of Quirke’s Vauxhall Corsa.

However, unaware he was there, Quirke drove over him as she maneuvered around a car parked in front of her vehicle.

Speaking about CCTV footage of the terrible accident, Sarah Slater told the court: “You can see a figure in the road. The car returns one minute later.

"Gets out in front of the figure in the road and bends over – neighbours hear her shouting in the road “help, help, he's dead”, “he threw himself in front of my car”.

During a phone call with a friend, distraught Quirke told her: “I think I’ve killed him”.

Paramedics called to the scene battled to resuscitate Mr Wright, however he was pronounced dead a few minutes later at 12.11am.

During a roadside breath test she gave a sample of 62 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Mr Wright’s family – who filled the public gallery – wept during the hearing as his mother Sue described him for the court.

She said: “I’ll never, ever, get over losing my son, John, a happy, beautiful boy who was loved by almost all who knew him.

"For his funeral, our local crematorium was so full that people had to stand outside to listen to the service.

"John died instantly, and that is the only scrap of positivity I can see from his death.

"Some days I feel numb and hopeless and the other days I want to scream hysterically.”

The court heard earlier in the evening of Mr Wright’s death Quirke and he were seen “laughing and joking” and being “affectionate” during a night out at Chesterfield’s Moonrakers pub, celebrating his birthday.

She later told police “there had been a slight disagreement”.

Ms Slater added: “She had not seen him walk around the front of the vehicle and felt she had driven over something but felt it was a traffic cone thrown by the deceased.”

James Horne, defending Quirke, said: “The defendant does not understand precisely to this day how she caused the death of John Wright.

"She must simply have not have made insufficient checks before driving off.”

He said the mother-of-one teenage son described John Wright – who she was in a “loving relationship at the time” – as “the kindest person I have ever known”.

Mr Horne added: “She thought the world of John Wright”.

Quirke, of Lancaster Road, Newbold, admitted causing death while driving carelessly and over the prescribed limit.

Judge Shaun Smith QC told Quirke: “This case has its own particular tragedy – you and the victim were together in a relationship.

"There’s no doubt that each of you had strong feelings for each other – your relationship was a good one.”

Speaking about what happened that night, he said: “Each of you were largely incapable of driving that car but it was you who chose to do so.”

The judge, noted Quirke was of “impeccable” character, a caring mother for her 16-year-old son and had glowing references from colleagues who she worked with in the care industry.

He said: “I have no doubt whatsoever you’re filled with remorse – your negligence resulted in the death of the man with whom you were in love.

"You are a good person and a prison sentence will hit you hard but you drove home while in drink.

"People who drink and drive what is, in effect, a lethal weapon must expect to go to prison.”

Quirke was jailed for 15 months with a two-year driving ban.

The judge added: “The purpose of a sentence is not vengeance – it does not follow the concept of an eye for an eye.

"Sentence is demonstrated by a rational approach to the guidelines – whatever I do it cannot bring back John Wright. I only wish it could.”