An uninsured and unlicensed driver was today jailed for killing a young support worker who was a passenger in his car.
Alex Lloyd's dangerous driving in the early hours of the morning, last summer, left 25-year-old Paul Hayes dead, and his girlfriend Lauren Hay, 19, critically hurt.
The 26-year-old motorist was at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta which collided head-on with a Ford S-Max private hire taxi, on Princess Drive in West Derby.
Witnesses said the huge impact left the car flipped on its side, the taxi rolling in the road, at 1am, on June 29, and the teenager still trapped inside.
Mr Hayes, onlookers said, was found underneath the Fiesta.
Neighbours inside their homes described hearing a large "bang" which prompted them to come outside to investigate.
The victim, who cared for people with mental health difficulties, and the driver did know each other, but the extent of their relationship is unclear.
Lloyd, who refused to be breathalysed, was seen shouting out in shock, covered in blood, before he was arrested by police.
Later at court, he admitted causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured and unlicensed, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
Today, at Liverpool Crown Court, Lloyd, of Lawson Walk, West Derby, was jailed for seven years and four months.
Mr Hayes' teenage girlfriend Lauren suffered serious injuries but was discharged from hospital at a later date.
Two men travelling in the S-Max private hire vehicle, aged 34 and 66, were treated at the scene for slight injuries.
Lloyd also needed medical attention.
Along with his jail sentence this morning, he was disqualified from driving for five years.
Sergeant Mike Clarey, of Merseyside Police's Matrix serious collision investigation unit, said: "Our thoughts today are very much with the family of Paul Hayes.
“There are no winners in this case.
"A young man has lost his life, a young woman has suffered serious injury, and now Lloyd’s actions that day have led to the loss of his liberty.
"The manner of his driving that morning left one man dead and several others injured, but it could so easily have been worse.
“Lloyd has been left in no doubt about the consequences of those actions, and I hope he will reflect on the impact he has had on Paul’s family, the family of the other injured people, and his own.
"Although no sentence, however long, can ever bring Paul back, I hope it gives his family some sense of closure and allows them to now focus on the love and happiness Paul brought them in life.
"I would also like to thank his family and the other victims for the courage and patience they have shown throughout what is an arduous and difficult process, and also to the team of officers and Crown Prosecution Service who helped bring Lloyd to justice.”
In a statement, after Mr Hayes' death, his devastated family said: "Paul Dylan Hayes was 25 years old.
"He was loved by everyone who met him. Paul was a support worker for people with mental health conditions.
"He made a great impact on all the people he supported and his colleagues, and was a great friend.
"He was a 'Laid-back Larry.'
"Nothing ever fazed him, and he lived his life to the fullest. He was a beloved Liverpool fan."
At the scene, upset locals left cards for Mr Hayes' family, and revealed how they did their best to save him and his girlfriend.
One message said: "Thinking of you and your family at this sad time. We did try and do all that we could. So sorry for your loss."
Another said: "With all my love and sympathy. I was at the scene and I will never forget what I seen. I didn't know you but may you R.I.P and shine like a diamond."
