Drink driver was twice over limit when he killed 57-year-old in eight-vehicle pile on M1 in Northamptonshire

A drunk driver who caused an eight-vehicle pile up on the M1 in Northamptonshire that tragically killed a 57-year-old mother has been jailed for five years.

Warren McBride, of Littlethorpe, Leicester, was at least twice over the legal limit when he veered into the lane-one barrier and hit another car close to Junction 18, north of Crick.

In the minutes that followed, seven other vehicles collided with the wreckage on the unlit stretch of the SMART motorway - including a Mazda carrying Mrs Winsome Bedward.

The 57-year-old mum-of-two, who was called "an angel on earth" in a family tribute, died at the scene.At McBride's sentencing at Northampton Crown Court on February 4, the judge scolded the 36-year-old for trying to drive from a gig in Crick back to Leicester while drunk and tired in early hours of the morning.

His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo said: "The seriousness of what you did springs entirely from your decision to put your Ford Focus on the road when it was dark.

"What came about because of your idiotic decision to drive was a series of tragic collisions. But the most tragic was the one that killed Mrs Winsome."

The court heard how at around 6am on March 8 last year, McBride's Focus veered into the barrier along lane one before rebounding and colliding with another car.

Both cars came to a stop across all four lanes of the motorway.

Tragically, the Ford was then hit by another driver who "could never have seen" the wreckage in the dark and early morning.

In the rear passenger seat of that car - a Mazda 3 Sport - was Winsome Bedward, who was driving back home with her brother and his wife after a warmhearted family party in London.

She fell unconscious in the crash - and tragically, soon after, and while her family tried desperately to warn oncoming traffic of the danger using a torch, the Mazda was then itself hit by an HGV.

Mrs Winsome was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 57.

McBride, 37, was spoken to by paramedics by the road. He reportedly appeared drunk, confused, and had only driven five miles from a pub in nearby Crick of his way back to Leicester when he crashed.

Police later determined he would have been twice over the limit at the time of the crash.

By the time police closed the road, eight vehicles in total were caught in the crash on the unlit stretch of road.

Judge Mayo said: "What makes this case so tragic was that Mrs Bedward's death was witnessed by her brother and his wife, who have been trying to come to terms with what happened ever since.

"The impact of your actions are beyond description.

"I make it plain that absolutely plain that in my sentencing I am in no way, shape or form trying to place a value on Winsome Bedward's life, because her life was priceless."

The judge accepted that McBride had shown "genuine and sincere remorse" since the crash.

He was jailed for five years and seven months. When released, he will also be disqualified from driving for 70 months."