THE PARENTS of a young Cross Inn woman killed in a head-on collision with a drink-driver have described the six-month cut in his sentence as “an insult”.

Miriam Briddon, a promising 21-year-old fashion designer, was weeks away from being awarded a first-class honours degree at the time of her death on 29 March, 2014.

She had been driving to see her boyfriend when a Volkswagen Golf driven at speed by Gareth Entwistle strayed into the path of her Fiat Punto on the A482 near Ciliau Aeron.

Entwistle, a Ciliau Aeron therapist who was jailed for five and a half years after admitting causing death by careless driving, last week had six months of his sentence reduced by judges at London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

Explaining their decision, they said he should have been given more credit for his guilty plea.

In a statement issued on behalf of the family, Miriam’s parents, Richard and Ceinwen Briddon, said: “The prolonged upset, heartache and unrest that this appeal has given to our family is unmeasurable and beyond words.

“This appeal by Entwistle proved to us that he has no remorse at all and he saw it fair to have less time in jail, even though he was given a light sentence.

“The law states that credit is given for an ‘early plea’, but there is no consideration within the law for a ‘not guilty’ plea for over a year before a change of plea at the last minute.

“The fact it took Entwistle well over a year to admit guilt carries no weight at all in law, but credit for an early plea before a trial date does. Where is the sense in that? Miriam was killed on 29 March, 2014 and he pleaded not guilty up until July 2015.”

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