Seven years for former Plymouth keeper

6:04pm Monday 6th October 2008

Former Plymouth goalkeeper Luke McCormick has been jailed for seven years for killing two young boys as he drove "like an idiot".

McCormick, who was more than twice the drink drive limit as he drove home from a team-mate's wedding, admitted causing the death of brothers Arron and Ben Peak by dangerous driving when he appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

The 25-year-old also admitted a charge of driving with excess alcohol.

The brothers, from Partington in Manchester, were travelling along the M6 in Staffordshire when the crash happened shortly before 5.45am on June 7.

They were on their way to Silverstone racetrack for a day out with their father Phil Peak and three friends when their Toyota Previa people carrier was hit by McCormick's black Range Rover.

Mr Peak, 37, was at the wheel of the Toyota and was seriously injured in the crash.

McCormick, dressed in a dark suit, kept his head bowed and covered his face with his hand as it was revealed he told eyewitnesses at the scene: "I am so sorry, I'm sorry. I just fell asleep. I fell asleep, I'm sorry."

Prior to the collision, other motorists noticed McCormick "driving like an idiot" and estimated his speed at around 90mph, the court heard.

After the crash, he was found to have 74 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

His contract with Argyle was cancelled by "mutual consent" a month after the crash.

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