A drunk-driving paramedic killed a cyclist heading the opposite direction after drinking 10 pints.
Doting dad-of-five Richard Goodwin was struck by a car driven by Robert Woodruff, an off-duty emergency worker, who was constantly checking his phone whilst driving.
Mr Goodwin suffered horrific injuries and died almost immediately at the scene, Hull Crown Court heard.
In an attempt to get to a barbecue that he had not been invited to, Woodruff, had drunk 10 pints at the Butterfly Inn pub, the Spread Eagle and the Pier Hotel, Withernsea, East Yorkshire. He was urged not to drive by his wife and after failing to book a taxi, Woodruff drove off at 8:45pm.
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While Mr Goodwin was cycling in the opposite direction, Woodruff was driving like an "idiot" according to a witness, and began drifting to the wrong side of the road before striking Mr Goodwin without braking.
Woodruff, 36, of Bannister Street, Withernsea, admitted causing the death of Mr Goodwin by dangerous driving on June 26 last year and Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, said: "It was clear to those present and the police that there was no sign of life."
A "loud bang" was heard and Mr Goodwin was carried on the windscreen of Woodruff's car for about 70 metres before ending up in the front garden of a nearby cottage. The victim's body was found in undergrowth following the accident.
Despite a roadside breath test revealing that Woodruff had 77mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath while the legal limit is 35mcg, the eight-year long paramedic said: "I felt like I was in control. I didn't think I was doing anything dangerous. I wasn't doing anything dangerous on that road, in my opinion."
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Mr Goodwin's youngest son Oliver, 19, said: "These past months have been the hardest months I have ever had to experience".
"I lie awake thinking of what it must have been like for my dad. I have dreams that he is still alive. I still send him text messages, knowing that he will never reply."
Before being sentenced, Woodruff apologised to the Goodwin family and called his actions "shameful" and wishes other drivers can learn from his mistakes.
"I have taken full responsibility for what I have done," Woodruff said.
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Woodruff's previously good character was mentioned by Judge Bury who said: "Apart from this, you are a good person. You have dedicated yourself to saving lives, not wrecking them."
Woodruff was jailed for five years and four months and was banned from driving for seven years and eight months and will be required to pass an extended retest before driving again.
Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said that Woodruff admitted making "unforgivable mistakes" and apologised for destroying families by his "idiocy" and its "devastating" and "catastrophic" results.
"I can never make amends for what I have done," he said. "My life and many other lives are never going to be the same."
Following the sentencing, Jeremy Evans paid tribute to the Goodwin family in a statement for the Crown Prosecution Service.
"Our hearts go out to the whole of the Goodwin family and we hope that the sentence Woodruff is beginning will be of some comfort to them in the months and years ahead. Our thoughts remain with them," he said.
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