Reckless driver jailed after high-speed fatal crash on the A27 which killed one of his passengers

Robbie Hawes drove at speeds in excess of 120mph despite 'atrocious' weather conditions on the A27 Havant bypass at around 11.55pm on November 5 2022 when he lost control of his car and crashed, killing one of his passengers.

The 26-year-old from Ranelagh Road, Havant, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court today (June 6) after previously pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving on the eastbound carriageway during heavy rain.

The car, a blue BMW 120d, had five occupants and one of the passengers, 36-year-old Richard Hill from Havant, died at the scene. A man and a woman, both in their 20s, were also injured.

See the video embedded in this story which shows dashcam footage of Hawes passing another motorist at high speed moments before he lost control of the car.

Mr Hill’s family have paid tribute to him in a heartfelt statement. It said: "Rich was the light in any room, people gravitated towards his infectious charm and his incredible gift of making people smile and laugh.

"He was loved by everyone that had the pleasure to meet him, and without him in this world, an emptiness has been created that can never be filled.

"He was blessed with the gift of the gab and applied that to his role in sales. He was unmatched in the office. His love for life, his friends and his family was deep, compassionate and selfless.

"There isn’t another like him and his unique personality will be relentlessly missed by us all, including his heartbroken mum and girlfriend. His memory will live on and will certainly be at the core of his little boy Sonny, who never got the chance to meet him but is already so much like him.

“Richard was a cheeky chappie. He loved his family and his friends and had so much love to give. His life was taken far too young and it has left destruction at every turn.

"Grief is a painful journey that we are now part of. The heartache we feel is a measure of the unconditional love that we have for him. Justice will never feel served but we will one day meet again.

"I know we will find you dancing and singing to reggae with a spiced rum and diet coke watching Tottenham win a game. He will forever be in our hearts. Your endlessly loving friends and family."

A judge sentenced Hawes to seven years imprisonment and banned him from driving for 11 years and four months. Hawes will require an extended retest before ever being allowed to drive again.

Detective Sergeant Gary Doughty of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “This was without doubt a completely avoidable and needless loss of life brought about by speed and a manner of driving which is not appropriate at any time, let alone for the atrocious conditions of that night.

"It had been raining heavily, there was surface water on the road, and the speeds Hawes was driving at were outrageous.

"This incident was wholly preventable. Speeding is a major cause of deaths on our roads and we as Roads Policing officers are committed to bringing speeding drivers to justice.

"I would like to thank everyone who has assisted us in this investigation. Your contribution, no matter how large or small, has played a part in the case.

"Finally I would like to place on record my thanks to the family of Richard for the faith they have put in my team during the investigation.

"No sentence handed down by a court will ever replace a loved one but the dignity, patience and courage shown by you all is exemplary.

"Whilst you as a family will continue life without Richard I hope that today’s sentence goes some way to providing you with a pathway to move forward with cherished memories of Richard in your hearts."