A MAN from Bude has been jailed for seven and a half years for causing death by dangerous driving.

Sam Box, 25, of Penstowe Road, Kilkhampton, was sentenced at Truro Crown Court on Friday, September 20, for causing the death of his girlfriend, Briony Watkins, 24.

The court saw video footage of Box carrying out dangerous manoeuvres in his Nissan 200 SX on the evening of April 28, 2023, with Briony in the passenger seat. Later that night they were travelling on the A39 at Crimp at inappropriate speeds for the foggy conditions, when Box collided with the bank causing the car to flip and roll along the road.

Briony, from Pendeen, suffered catastrophic injuries was taken to hospital where she was sadly pronounced deceased a short time later.

Box sustained serious injuries and was also taken to hospital. He was released following treatment and later spoken to by officers providing a no comment interview. He was summonsed to court where he pleaded guilty.

He was jailed for seven and a half years by Judge Climie at court on September 20.

Following sentence, Briony’s family paid tribute to her life.

Her sister Sophie said: “Briony is missed more than we could ever express. Her smile and infectious laugh, her beauty, her calm understanding and her quirky ways. Briony was not only my little sister but my god daughter and, after her father left, like my own child and my best friend. The loss we feel is immeasurable.”

Her mother Janine said: “Singing was everything to Briony. She used to fill our house with her beautiful voice which brought me so much pride and joy to hear. Now the silence is deafening. Her love of bees, forget-me-knots and peonies will live with me and many of her friends forever through the tattoos we have had done to remember her by. Losing her has left me lifeless and I count down the days until I can join her. She will always be in my heart and thoughts, and I miss her every minute of every day.”

Serious Collisions Investigator, PC Sarah Harvey, added: “The sentence passed by Judge Climie shows the serious nature of this incident. The manner of driving by Box resulted in the tragic loss of a young life that so easily could have been avoided.”

“Dangerous driving is any driving that falls far below that of a careful and competent driver, in essence if you wouldn’t do it in a driving test then you shouldn’t do it on the road.

“Rule 125 of the Highway Code states “Driving at speeds too fast for the road and traffic conditions is dangerous.”

“Cutting the number of deaths and injuries that occur on our roads every day is a responsibility we all share.”