Tragedy as 'brilliant' dad killed after meal with friends

A 'brilliant' dad was tragically killed by a speeding drink-driver after he had enjoyed a Christmas Eve meal with friends.

Charalambos Nicolaou and his daughter Polyxeni, then aged 17, were visiting the UK from Cyprus for Christmas, Stoke-on-Trent Live reports. They stayed with friends Angelos Nicola and his wife Julia Nicola-Sakka and had visited an Italian restaurant on December 24.

As the group left La Villa Verde and walked back to their car in a nearby layby, a speeding car smashed into the Hyundai. Mr Nicolaou, aged 62, tragically died at the scene.

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His daughter escaped without any serious injuries but Angelos and Julia were seriously injured and spent weeks in the Royal Stoke University Hospital. The driver of the car, Mark Plimmer, had been drinking pints and Jagerbombs before he lost control and smashed into the car.

He was 'driving at a terrifyingly high speed', a court heard, with a witness claiming he reached speeds of up to 100mph as he overtook another vehicle in his Vauxhall Vectra. Plimmer, 28, was also not insured on the car and did not have a driving licence. He failed to stop at the scene and the Vauxhall had no valid MOT.

Plimmer seen overtaking at 100mph

Prosecutor Caroline Harris said Mr Nicolaou and Polyxeni were visiting the UK for Christmas from Cyprus and were staying with Angelos and Julia who live in Uttoxeter.

They left La Villa Verde at 8.45pm and walked a short distance to a lay-by where Angelos had parked. But the reckless Plimmer was speeding and crashed into the Hyundai.

He had been drinking in The White Hart, in Tean, and had drunk pints and Jagerbombs - Jagermeister and Red Bull chasers. He then went to The Raddle Inn and had more alcohol before returning home. But he left and headed towards Draycott.

A witness described him overtaking him at about 100mph and CCTV captured him driving at a 'terrifyingly' high speed. Investigators found he was driving at 81mph in a 40mph zone, 110 metres before the point of collision.

The collision threw Angelos and Julia some distance from their car. They remain under medical care and continue to bear physical and emotional scars, the court heard.

Plimmer was trapped in the Vauxhall and freed by restaurant staff. He remained at the scene and said there was no-one else in the car.

He was noted to be slurring his words. He went to a nearby property and asked for family and friends to collect him. He ran away and was found by police hiding in a hedge.

He was 'belligerent' to police and paramedics. He was breathalysed and gave a reading of 56 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, against the legal limit of 35.

He refused to engage in any further tests for alcohol and drugs. He maintained he had not been the driver - but did not say who the driver was. The evidence at his trial was clear, however - he was the only person in the car.

'How can someone be so reckless?'

The court heard moving statements from the victims and other family members. Polyxeni is now an orphan as her mum died of cancer when she was aged six. Julia spent five weeks in hospital and suffers from vertigo.

She also suffered permanent scarring to her forehead. She has now lost her confidence and feels angry and emotional. She added: "Christmas will never be the same. How can someone be so selfishly reckless? He has taken the life of a brilliant father and friend and nothing can fix that.

"We remain in close contact with Polyxeni. We will do whatever it takes to facilitate her happy future."

Angelos had to be resuscitated at the scene. He suffered grave injuries and spent a month in hospital. He said: "Myself and my wife are forever changed. This will stay with us forever."

Plimmer, of Woodlands Lane, Blythe Bridge, denied causing death by dangerous driving and two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving but was convicted of all three charges after a trial in July. He pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident; driving without insurance; driving without a licence; and failing to provide a specimen of breath or blood for analysis.

Neil Baki, mitigating, said Plimmer knew he would receive an extremely lengthy sentence. He is a 'safer custody rep' and responsible for preventing fights and violence on the prison wings.

Mr Baki said: "He wishes to express through me the extreme sorrow that he feels as a result of his selfish and reckless acts by drinking and driving."

Plimmer will serve two-thirds of the 18-year sentence before he is released on licence. He was banned from driving for 22 years and must take an extended test before he can drive again.

Judge Sally Hancox said: "You were driving at a terrifyingly high speed. One witness believed you may have been driving at 100mph when you overtook him. You remained at the scene for a short time but were described as seeking to blend in. You were noted to be slurring your words.

"The evidence at the trial was clear - there was no other person in the car that evening other than you. The life that was lost as a result of your selfish acts was a life that was loved and is a loss to so many others.

"You deliberately chose to ignore the rules of the road and you had a complete disregard of the risk of dangers to any others who may have been using the road. Your driving was highly impaired by, at the very least, alcohol."

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