16 Years Behind Bars for Fatal Crash
Scott Gunn, 38, from Weavering, Maidstone, has been jailed for 16 years after a reckless driving spree on an icy country lane ended in tragedy. He was found guilty at Maidstone crown-court/" title="Crown Court" rel="nofollow">Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving after killing Tom and Sue Corkery, who were walking their dog in Thurnham Lane, Bearsted, on January 20 last year.
Judge Oliver Saxby KC slammed Gunn’s late attempt at remorse, calling it “too little too late” before handing down the heavy sentence.
Family Breaks Down in Heartfelt Victim Impact Statement
The couple’s daughter, Claire, gave a powerful statement revealing the heartbreak still felt two years later. “I have relived the day over and over,” she said, wishing she could have protected her parents. Tom was about to retire and the couple had just cleared their mortgage, while Sue had recently beaten thyroid cancer.
“Two years has passed and the pain of their loss is still the same.”
Claire described her dad as “clever” and her mum as a “warm person who radiated kindness.” She accused Gunn directly in court, saying: “You have treated the justice process as a game. You know this was completely your fault. How can you treat us with such a basic lack of humanity?”
Simon Corkery, their son, said their deaths “uprooted” his life. “Their death could have been avoided entirely,” he told the court. “They had so much to look forward to—often talking about how excited they were to have grandchildren.”
Speeding BMW Slams Into Couple and Dog on Ice
Gunn had only owned the BMW X5 for a week before the crash. On that icy day, despite a warning sign of potential ice on the road, CCTV showed other cars creeping at 20-22mph. But data from Gunn’s car revealed he accelerated to 87mph just seconds before the impact.
Another dog walker reported seeing the BMW speeding dangerously and trying to warn Gunn of the ice by waving his arm.
The crash claimed the lives of Tom, Sue, and their friend’s dog, Gracie.
Lawyer Pleads for Leniency, Judge Unmoved
Gunn’s lawyer called him a “devoted family man” and insisted his remorse was genuine, blaming the severity of the ice for the crash. But Judge Saxby was unimpressed, saying:
“Real remorse involves accepting full responsibility. You tailored your evidence to limit your blame, pointing fingers at the ice and warning sign position. But trying to dodge responsibility until the trial makes your claims impossible to accept.”
Gunn also received a three-month sentence for criminal damage and faces an eight-year driving ban once released.
