by Joe Walker

joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

A dad-of-two jailed for three years after killing a teenage boy in a road smash has lost an appeal to cut his prison sentence.

Gareth Jones, 49, was convicted of causing death by careless driving after he ploughed his Volvo into the back of moped rider Tom Brenchley in July 2010.

The 16-year-old schoolboy, of Staplestreet, Hernhill, died after suffering serious head injuries in the smash on the A299 Thanet Way near Dargate.

Jones, of Hill View Road, Whitstable, was convicted by a jury after denying the charge, but appealed against his sentence on Friday.

He had hoped to get the three-year term slashed, but was told by Lord Justice Davis, Mr Justice Treacy and Judge Peter Collier QC that, although it was a “firm” sentence, it was fair.

Railway signalman Jones was on his way to work in London on the night of July 27, 2010, when he crashed into the back of Tom’s moped on a straight stretch of the dual carriageway.

The trial judge, Judge Adele Williams, said she was convinced the accident was at least partially to do with his lack of sleep the previous day. Jones had worked overnight and was on his way to another night shift at the time.

She also said he had not shown any true remorse for what he had done, seeking in several ways to blame Tom - a schoolboy at Archbishop's in Canterbury.

At the appeal, lawyers for Jones said the three-year term was “manifestly excessive”. They added there was no evidence to justify the finding that lack of rest was a factor.

But rejecting the appeal, Mr Justice Treacy said the teenager would have been visible on the road in front of Jones for about 500 metres, or 16 seconds of driving.

He said: “The blunt fact is that the only reasonable conclusion is that the appellant, for a prolonged period at considerable, albeit legal, speed, was not paying attention to what he was doing.

“The judge was entitled to conclude that the lack of adequate sleep or rest provided the explanation for what happened. This being so, it was an aggravating feature of this offence.

“We conclude that, although the sentence imposed was undoubtedly a firm one, it was not unduly so.”

Speaking about Jones after his conviction in November, Tom’s dad Dave Brenchley – a police sergeant – said: “We could have forgiven him had he been remorseful, open, honest and taken responsibility for his actions. He did not and has shown himself to be a selfish coward.”