A boyfriend has been jailed for killing his lover in a crash, even after her family pleaded for leniency.
Peter Clarke was driving with mum-of-one Natalia Kulik when he crashed through a roundabout barrier and landed on the footpath below, in Salford, Manchester.
Clarke lost control of the BMW and ploughed through the roundabout, killing Ms Kulik, 30, his partner of 18 months, who was in the front passenger seat, Manchester Evening News reports.
The 34-year-old has now been slapped with three years in prison despite her family saying they “disagreed” with the decision to prosecute him.
The high speed smash was so bad that Clarke was left fighting for his life with two broken legs.
One eyewitness thought that Clarke was being chased his BMW was speeding so fast, and another described how it was “flying” down the road.
The couple were heading into Manchester to do some Christmas shopping on Sunday, October 27, 2019, Manchester Crown Court were told.
The 34-year-old driver pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving but said he had “no explanation” as to why he was going so fast.
He also added he had little recollection of what happened.
Judge Suzanne Goddard QC told Clarke: "It is of course a fact that Natalia Kulik lost her life, and her son lost his mother, because of your actions that day. For that, you must be punished."
Clarke had been driving on the A6 in Salford, shortly after midday.
Dashcam footage caught the car speeding from the outside lane to the inside, before exiting towards Pendleton Island.
It was later estimated that Clarke, a father, had been driving between 73mph and 83mph when he performed the manoeuvre, about double the speed limit for the area.
The limit is 40mph on the A6, and 30mph on the slip road.
Then, as he approached the roundabout, Clarke failed to stop and smashed straight through the barriers.
It crashed through and fell onto the footpath below where fortunately no one was walking at the time.
Prosecutor Robert Dudley said there was no indication that the BMW had braked at any time.
The car landed on its passenger side, and Mr Clarke was left “dangling” from his seatbelt.
Ms Kulik was unresponsive. Members of the public tried to help and she was cut from the BMW by firefighters, but she died at Salford Royal hospital.
It was later discovered that her airbag had been disabled, but the judge said Clarke had no knowledge of this.
The court heard it was “pure speculation” whether Ms Kulik would have survived if the airbag had been working properly.
Clarke had bought the car days earlier from his father, who had purchased it at an auction.
After the crash, Clarke was taken to the same hospital as his partner, spending two-and-a-half weeks there before being discharged.
He had suffered several injuries, including breaking both legs and his wrist.
The court was told Ms Kulik's family “disagreed” with the decision to prosecute Clarke, and have declined to engage in the court process.
They did not submit a victim impact statement to the court, documents which are regularly handed to judges to detail the effects of losing a loved one.
Defending, Nicola Gatto said this decision highlighted the “regard” which Ms Kulik's family have for Clarke.
"It is clear they accept that this couple had a very loving and caring relationship and they accept that he is devastated at the loss of Ms Kulik, as they are too," she said.
"It is a young woman who he very much cared for and loved. Since she died he has had no substantial relationships because he is still grieving. He described his relationship with Ms Kulik as effortless."
He has suffered from depression and undergone counselling since the crash. "The only thing that has really kept him going is that he has had to care for his young daughter," Ms Gatto said.
Exactly why Clarke was driving at such speed remains a mystery. "The defendant can give no explanation as to why he was speeding," Ms Gatto added.
"He says it was a happy day, they were travelling into Manchester, he remembers they were going to go Christmas shopping. His grief is immeasurable. It is clear he feels significant guilt and remorse."
The weather conditions were dry, there was clear visibility any there was no evidence of Clarke being under the influence of drink or drugs. He has no previous convictions, and a clean driving licence.
Ms Gatto said Clarke, from Kearsley, Bolton, will find prison 'very very difficult'. "This is an ordinary man who has led a law abiding life," she said.
"He is not like the majority of individuals who are in Her Majesty's prison service."
Clarke was sentenced to three years and four months. He will serve half of the sentence in prison, and was also banned from driving for five years and eight months.
