A NORTHFIELD man who killed a much-loved 76-year-old NHS worker has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years for causing death by careless driving.
Jamie Abdale was over the legal alcohol limit and already banned from driving when he was responsible for the death of Linda Harris on July 22, 2021.
Mrs Harris had been turning right out of Wentworth Way when she was hit by Abdale, who was driving towards Harborne.
Over the limit, no licence and already disqualified
Abdale, who had an expired provisional licence and was disqualified from driving following a drink-driving conviction, hit Mrs Harris’ car, causing both vehicles to end up on the grass verge adjacent to Wentworth Way.
When officers arrived at the scene they found a significant amount of alcohol related items including empty cans and bottles of alcohol.
He told officers at the scene he had been given a drink of whisky by an unknown member of the public shortly after the crash.
Although he provided a sample of 34 microgrammes of alcohol, because of the length of time between the crash and the test, it was calculated at the time he hit Mrs Harris’ car, he would have had a breath alcohol concentration of around 61 microgrammes per 100 mililitres of breath.
As well as the jail term, Abdale, 37, of Lindsey Avenue, Northfield, was banned from driving for seven years and nine months.
Reading a victim statement in court, Mrs Harris’ daughter said: “Everyone thinks their mum is special, but ours really was.
“She had an abundance of love which she showered family and friends with.
“She was an NHS worker, still working at 76 providing elderly care and end of life care.
“She worked all the way through Covid, selflessly thinking of the needs of others first.
“I was so proud to call her my mum. She did not deserve to die in the way that she did.
“She was cruelly taken from us too soon because of the selfish decisions made by Jamie Abdale.
“All me and my family can do now is spend every day trying to make her proud – our lives will never be the same again.”
