Matthew McGrath jailed for nine years for fatal drink-driving collision

Matthew McGrath, 23, has been sentenced to nine and a half years in prison for causing the death of 20-year-old Emily Jordan. The sentencing took place at Bristol Crown Court following McGrath's guilty plea to one count of causing death by dangerous driving.

The fatal incident occurred on August 26, 2024, near Weston-super-Mare. McGrath was driving a Toyota Avensis along Kewstoke Road when he lost control of the vehicle. While the precise speed was not confirmed, witness and expert evidence indicated he was traveling at approximately 60mph in a 25mph zone. McGrath had been drinking alcohol at a pub prior to the collision.

Emily Jordan, a passenger in the rear of the vehicle, sustained significant injuries in the crash and died in the hospital on September 1, 2024. Despite wearing a seatbelt, the impact proved fatal. In addition to his prison sentence, McGrath has been disqualified from driving for 12 years and six months and must pass an extended re-test before regaining driving privileges.

In a statement, Jordan's family expressed their heartbreak, describing her as a “kind, vibrant and full of life” individual whose future was “cruelly taken away by a senseless act of dangerous driving.”