A man who mowed down his pal in a "drink-fuelled rage" after they were kicked out of a pub has been jailed for 15 years.
Craig Garton, 42, killed Dean Clark, 41, after the pair got into a row in a pub in Essex.
Garton drove his van at Clark, who at first managed to dodge out of the way, but then reversed and dragged his victim, killing him.
He was earlier found guilty of murder over the incident outside The Blacksmiths Arms in Little Clacton early last year.
A court previously heard how the duo had got into an argument in the pub at around 11pm on February 7, 2020, before Garton drove at his pal.
While in custody, he told officers “I went out for a few drinks and ended up killing my mate”.
Sentencing him today, Judge Christopher Morgan said: "You drove 320 metres with Dean Clark under your van and, as you must accept now, the further you drove the more certain it would be that death would occur."
He said the van only stopped when it hit a bus stop, as the vehicle's steering was affected by Mr Clark being trapped underneath.
"What that argument was about will never be known," the judge added.
But he added that the defendant was remorseful and there was a lack of pre-meditation.
In a victim personal statement read to the court, Mr Clark's long-term partner Emma Clark said: "He was my world."
She said that their four children had been "robbed of their father", adding: "They will now have to grow up with a huge hole in their lives."
The murder took place after Garton and Mr Clark were kicked out of the pub by the landlord, Essex Live reported.
Garton then got into his van and drove into the dad of four.
Garton, of Upper Branston Road, Clacton, was arrested a short while afterwards.
A breath test showed that he was over the drink-drive limit and he was subsequently charged with murder.
He denied the charge but was found guilty of murder at a trial earlier this month at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Reacting to his 15-year sentence today, senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Julie Gowen, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Dean Clark’s death has had a huge impact on his friends and family and no sentence will ever bring him back.
“They have shown incredible courage throughout the investigation and trial and I want to praise them for their bravery.
“I hope this sentence represents justice for them and will help them to move forward.
“Craig Garton’s actions, fuelled by drink, have robbed Dean’s family of a future with him.
“It is clear he intended to do Dean harm. After failing to hit him once, he reversed and tried again.
“He will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars:"
