A "loving" boyfriend who killed a young woman in a crash was today jailed - despite the victim's family 'disagreeing' with the prosecution. Mum-of-one Natalia Kulik died after Peter Clarke's car crashed through a roundabout barrier and landed on its side on an underpass in Salford.
Speeding Clarke lost control of his BMW and ploughed into a roundabout as they headed to the shops. She was the front seat passenger.
Clarke was left fighting for his life after suffering serious injuries himself. One eyewitness thought the BMW was driving so fast that it was being chased by police, while another described how it was 'flying' down the road.
READ MORE : Terrified man forced to take MDMA before he's stabbed as he tried to flee
He has been jailed for more than three years, despite Ms Kulik's family saying they 'disagreed' with the decision to prosecute her boyfriend of 18 months. Clarke, 34, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, but said he had 'no explanation' why he was speeding and has little recollection of what happened.
"It is of course a fact that Natalia Kulik lost her life, and her son lost his mother, because of your actions that day," Judge Suzanne Goddard QC told Clarke. "For that, you must be punished."
The couple were heading into Manchester to do some Christmas shopping on Sunday, October 27, 2019, Manchester Crown Court heard.
He was driving on the A6 in Salford at about 12.40pm. The BMW was caught on dashcam footage moving from the outside lane to the inside lane at high speed, before exiting on the slip road towards Pendleton Island.
It was later estimated that Clarke, a father, had been driving between 73mph and 83mph when he performed the manoeuvre, about double the speed limit for the area. The limit is 40mph on the A6, and 30mph on the slip road.
Clarke failed to stop as he approached the roundabout, and ploughed into the barriers. The BMW crashed through and fell onto a footpath below, which is used as a pedestrian subway. Fortunately no-one was walking past at the time.
Prosecutor Robert Dudley said there was no indication that the BMW had braked at any time. The car landed on its passenger side, and Mr Clarke was left 'dangling' from his seatbelt.
Ms Kulik was unresponsive. Members of the public tried to help and she was cut from the BMW by firefighters, but she died at Salford Royal hospital.
It was later discovered that her airbag had been disabled, but the judge said Clarke had no knowledge of this. The court heard it was 'pure speculation' whether Ms Kulik would have survived if the airbag had been working properly.
Clarke had bought the car days earlier from his father, who had purchased it at an auction. After the crash, Clarke was taken to the same hospital as his partner, spending two-and-a-half weeks there before being discharged. He had suffered several injuries, including breaking both legs and his wrist.
The court was told Ms Kulik's family 'disagreed' with the decision to prosecute Clarke, and have declined to engage in the court process. They did not submit a victim impact statement to the court, documents which are regularly handed to judges to detail the effects of losing a loved one.
Defending, Nicola Gatto said this decision highlighted the 'regard' which Ms Kulik's family have for Clarke. "It is clear they accept that this couple had a very loving and caring relationship and they accept that he is devastated at the loss of Ms Kulik, as they are too," she said.
"It is a young woman who he very much cared for and loved. Since she died he has had no substantial relationships because he is still grieving. He described his relationship with Ms Kulik as effortless."
He has suffered from depression and undergone counselling since the crash. "The only thing that has really kept him going is that he has had to care for his young daughter," Ms Gatto said.
Exactly why Clarke was driving at such speed remains a mystery. "The defendant can give no explanation as to why he was speeding," Ms Gatto added.
"He says it was a happy day, they were travelling into Manchester, he remembers they were going to go Christmas shopping. His grief is immeasurable. It is clear he feels significant guilt and remorse."
The weather conditions were dry, there was clear visibility any there was no evidence of Clarke being under the influence of drink or drugs. He has no previous convictions, and a clean driving licence.
Ms Gatto said Clarke, from Kearsley, Bolton, will find prison 'very very difficult'. "This is an ordinary man who has led a law abiding life," she said.
"He is not like the majority of individuals who are in Her Majesty's prison service."
Clarke was sentenced to three years and four months. He will serve half of the sentence in prison, and was also banned from driving for five years and eight months.
