A man with no driving licence who crashed his car and fled the scene leaving his fatally injured girlfriend in the wreckage has been jailed.
Nathan Towers, 33, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday and was jailed for a total of four years and three months.
He was sentenced for years for causing death by careless driving and further sentenced for perverting the course of justice and fraud after he had pleaded guilty to multiple charges when he appeared at the same court on April 25.
His girlfriend Jess Waterman, who died in the collision just three days before her 21st birthday, was described by her family as "beautiful inside and out".
Essex Police were called to Houblons Hill in Epping at around 10.30pm on February 19, 2022, after a man contacted them to say he came across a single-vehicle collision in which the passenger was badly injured.
Officers rushed to the scene and found Miss Waterman, who had sustained a head injury and was unresponsive, in the passenger seat of a red Mini.
Miss Waterman, from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, was taken to the hospital but she sadly died less than 24 hours later.
When Jess died, her family said they could not describe the pain of losing their "beautiful daughter" and "treasured, older sister".
Following the collision, officers traced Nathan Towers to his address in Broadoaks, Epping, where the washing machine was running a cycle of muddy clothes despite it being 1.30am.
He was then arrested and police found his phone hidden between the bed slats - and at that moment, they found out the mobile number matched the one used to call the police to report the incident.
During his interview, Towers told the police he had bought the car a few days earlier, but that a friend was driving that evening.
However, doorbell footage showed Towers arriving to pick up Jess with the red Mini in the background - and he was wearing the same clothes that were later recovered from the washing machine.
Inspector Mark Fraser, Serious Collision Investigation Unit, who led the investigation, said Towers flouted the law by driving his car despite never passing a driving test.
He added: "That night, after losing control of his vehicle in a collision which tragically caused Jess to lose her life, he callously and selfishly fled the scene to avoid arrest, with no regard for Jess or her injuries.
"Following a thorough investigation, he pleaded guilty to all the offences and has been sentenced for those matters, finally facing justice for his actions.
"Jess's family have lost both a daughter and a sister and no length of sentence will bring her back, but I hope todays sentencing brings some closure to a tragically sad event."
Essex Police added: "Following enquiries by the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, Nathan Towers was charged with causing death by careless driving and perverting the course of justice. He was also charged with fraud by false representation (giving false details to an insurance company) and causing death whilst unlicenced and uninsured to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on 28 March."
Following his sentencing on Tuesday, the victim's family said: "Today we have seen some justice for our beloved daughter Jess, but we can never forgive or forget the cold, calm and calculated actions of Nathan Towers.
"We trusted he would keep her safe that night. Jess was going to turn 21 three days after the accident. She had been looking forward to celebrating her milestone birthday with her family and friends, but all arrangements had to be cancelled. The pain is indescribable. We wouldn't wish this on anyone.
"Our Jess was a beautiful, vibrant, and caring young woman who had touched the lives of so many.
"No length of sentence will ever feel enough as nothing can bring her back. She was our light, and our world is a darker place without her. We will always love you, Jess. #TeamJess"
The woman's friend paid tribute to her with one saying: "I instantly knew we'd be friends."
Another added: "I was overwhelmed with a feeling of helplessness and disbelief, knowing that we never got to say goodbye."
