A driver who killed a Basildon couple after speeding through a red light while on drugs has been jailed for six years.

Ashley Deadman, 28, of Bostocke Close, Laindon, was convicted by a jury of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving at Basildon Crown Court yesterday (November 16).

Carli Scott, 30, and Dean Evans, 35, both from Basildon, were killed after they were hit by Deadman's Volkswagen Passat as they crossed the Nethermayne road on March 22 last year at around 8.45pm

Carli Scott, 30, and Dean Evans, 35, were killed after being struck by the car on Nethermayne last year

Miss Scott was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Evans died shortly after he was taken to nearby Basildon Hospital.

At the start of his trial at Basildon Crown Court on Monday (November 13), Deadman pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by careless driving, but denied allegations that the deaths were caused by him driving dangerously or carelessly while unfit through drugs.

But prosecuting, Chris Paxton told the court that the Crown did not accept Deadman’s guilty pleas for careless driving, suggesting that his actions were ‘dangerous’.

Roadside tests found no traces of alcohol in his system but did conclude that he had taken cannabis at some point in the run-up to the collision.

The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

This morning (November 17), he was jailed for six years.