Vodka-glugging van driver jailed over crash that killed 71-year-old woman

A van driver who told police he had a ‘glug’ of vodka before getting behind the wheel of his vehicle and crashing it into a car travelling the opposite way has been jailed.

Shaun Mulligan smashed his scaffolding van into a Suzuki Jimny being driven by 71-year-old Jennifer Allen on the A281 in November 2022.

Ms Allen was pronounced dead at the scene, between the West Sussex villages of Henfield and Woodmancote.

Witnesses said they could smell alcohol on Mulligan’s breath and empty vodka bottles were found strewn around the wreckage of the van.

When he was tested three hours after the collision, he was found to still be almost twice the legal alcohol limit.

The night before the crash on November 6, he had drunk cans of lager and shots of sambuca, and he did not have breakfast the following morning.

Mulligan later admitted having a ‘glug’ of vodka before visiting a family member on the day of the incident, and he had another drink from the bottle after the visit.

He crashed his vehicle and hit Ms Allen’s car just after 4pm.

Tests afterwards also showed he was above the legal limit for or benzoylecgonine, the chemical breakdown of cocaine.

Today, the 48-year-old Eastbourne resident was sentenced to five years in prison at Lewes Crown Court.