Drunk driver who hit and killed cyclist at up to 90mph sentenced to six years in prison

A drunk driver who hit and killed a cyclist while driving at speeds of up to 90mph in a built-up area has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Alexander Organ, 23, killed cyclist Thomas Dunleavy, 48, as he sped through the streets of Cheltenham in June 2017, hitting Mr Dunleavy at such speed that he was killed instantly in the collision.

Organ then drove away from the scene but was still over the drink-drive limit when he was arrested nearly two hours later.

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Gloucestershire Live reports that Organ had met his father at a pub for a drink before driving home, with witnesses telling Gloucester Crown Court that they estimated that Organ had been driving at up to 90mph along Priors Road in Cheltenham, which has a 30mph limit.

Approaching a traffic island, witnesses reported seeing Organ drive onto the wrong side of the road, clipping the kerb before colliding head-on with Mr Dunleavy who was cycling in the opposite direction.

Arrested nearly two hours after the crash, Organ was found to be very slightly over the drink-drive limit, with an expert witness telling the court that he was most likely at double the drink-drive limit when he crashed into Mr Dunleavy.

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Organ also gave no comment to the police when he was arrested, only admitting that he was behind the wheel at the time of the crash in an interview three months later.

Steve Young, defending, said that Organ's refusal to comment was on the advice of a solicitor, and that he was genuinely remorseful about the crash. In court Organ admitted causing death by dangerous driving, being over the drink-drive limit, and failing to stop at the site of a collision.

However Judge Ian Lawrie took little sympathy on Organ, describing his actions as an "appalling piece of driving over half a mile at those speeds and in those conditions in an urban area" as he was sentenced to six years in prison.