A 21-year-old drink driver whose best friend died when she crashed into a lamppost has been jailed by a crown court judge.

Samantha Pickup, of Plantation Drive, Orpington, was at the wheel of a Suzuki Alto with her friend Abby Groves, 20, in the front passenger seat, when the tragedy happened. Another woman and two men were the back.

The car swerved into the lamppost in Bromley Common as they returned from a Friday night out in Lloyds Bar, Bromley.

Miss Groves, who was not wearing a seat-belt, died at the scene.

Pickup, who was wearing her seat-belt was in hospital for 10 days with injuries to her liver, lung and a broken collar bone.

Two other passengers also suffered serious injuries.

Pickup’s alcohol level was at least 93 milligrams per 100 millilitres of breath Croydon Crown Court heard.

Miss Groves’ father, John, sat in the back of the court as judge Warwick McKinnon read his victim impact statement in which he pleaded for mercy for his late daughter’s best friend.

The judge sentenced Pickup, who is about 10-weeks pregnant, to 15 months in prison and disqualified her from driving for three years.

He said: “Abby was your best friend and you will have to live with the knowledge that it was your action which bought her life to an end and so you are already subject to a life sentence in that way.”

Pickup had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while in excess of the prescribed alcohol limit.

The fatal crash happened on April 7 last year.