Pop star's widow jailed over second drink-drive death. Five years for Toni Marriott after fatal crash yards from scene of first

drink-drive crash in which a woman was killed.

Toni Marriott, 33, who was two and a half times over the legal blood

alcohol limit, was a ''menace and a danger to the public'' after being

involved in a second fatal crash yards from where her sister died in a

similar incident, Judge Andrew Brooks told Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Marriott, whose late husband rose to fame in the 1960s as singer and

guitarist with the Small Faces, pled guilty to causing the death of

21-year-old Penny Jessup last October while driving without due care and

attention when the level of alcohol in her blood exceeded the limit.

The crash scene was 300 yards from where she was involved in a similar

accident more than 10 years ago in which her sister died.

Mr David Williams, prosecuting, said the accident happened at 8.30pm

in High Road, North Weald, Essex, after heavy rain.

Another motorist told police he saw Marriott driving towards him and

was surprised at her speed in such conditions. He believed she had been

travelling at 50 to 60mph in a 40mph zone.

Mr Williams said the driver saw Marriott's Vauxhall Astra GTE, coming

from the Epping direction, hit the nearside kerb.

After travelling some distance along the verge, it then ''veered'' to

his side of the road, passing behind his car and colliding almost

head-on with Miss Jessup's Seat Marbella.

Miss Jessup remained conscious at the scene but died from multiple

injuries shortly after arriving at hospital.

Marriott, of Hatfield, Broad Oak, Essex, suffered a number of minor

injuries.

A breath test proved positive and a later blood sample showed she had

200 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

''It is also right that traces of cannaboids were found in her blood

-- these are the breakdown products of the drug cannabis,'' Mr Williams

told the court.

Marriott told officers she and friends had had a ''bit of a party''

the night before the crash and ''quite a bit to drink''.

The next day she went to Hertford to have her car repaired and later

drank beer and wine at various pubs.

''She said she didn't feel tipsy at the time of the accident and

thought her speed was in the area of 30 to 40mph,'' said Mr Williams.

She later admitted smoking cannabis during the party.

Mr Williams told the court that in May 1983, Marriott was driving down

the same road with her elder sister Joanna in the front passenger seat

when the car hit some bridge railings. Her sister died instantly.

Marriott was later fined #185 for driving with excess alcohol and

disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Toni Marriott was the third wife of Steve Marriott who died when their

thatched cottage was destroyed by fire three years ago.

The pop star, who was 44 when he died, went on from his early fame

with the Small Faces and hits like Itchycoo Park and Lazy Sunday

Afternoon to further success with Peter Frampton in the group Humble Pie

before his career waned.

Judge Brooks told Marriott that he had no option but to send her to

prison.

''By your irresponsible behaviour you abruptly brought to an end the

life of a young woman of 21, causing those near to her, and in

particular her parents, untold pain, suffering and misery which they

will have to live with for a very long time,'' he said.

He told Marriott that she had not learnt any lesson from the accident

in which her sister died.

''Although that offence occurred over 10 years ago I would be failing

in my duty if I ignored it. I am satisfied . . . you have shown yourself

to be a menace and a danger to the public, brought about, in my view,

because of your drinking problems.''

Miss Jessup, who worked for a City reinsurance firm, lived near the

accident scene and had been on her way to see her fiance.

Outside the court her parents, Ron and Barbara, criticised both the

jail term and driving ban as not being long enough.

''The Judge said she is a danger to the public and she will remain a

danger as long as they condone her being behind a steering wheel,'' said

Mr Jessup.

Mrs Jessup added: ''I would have liked her to be put in prison and the

key thrown away, but I accept that is not reasonable.

''She has actually stolen 50 or 60 years, potentially, of Penny's life

and she has given us a life sentence. We will never ever forget what she

has done.''

After Marriott committed her first drink-drive offence she was

interviewed by Southampton playwright Mark Wheeller, who used her

account of her sister's death as the basis of a play with a powerful

anti-drink drive message staged in more than 3500 schools.

Entitled Too Much Punch For Judy, it quoted Marriott -- then known as

Judy Poulton -- as saying: ''I just know I'll never be so out of control

that I would put someone else's life in danger . . . I have never driven

after drinking since.''

In a statement after yesterday's judgment, Mr John Knight, chairman of

the Campaign Against Drinking and Driving, said this had been the first

case he was aware of in more than 3000 similar alcohol-related road

deaths where a drunk driver had killed for a second time. ''If Marriott

had been punished properly after her first drink drive offence, Penny

might still be alive today.''