Grandfather's disgust after driver who killed four family members in smash is banned from driving again

A grandfather who lost four family members in a horror smash says he's disgusted at a new sentence on their killer has been caught driving under the influence of drugs following his release from jail.
Macauley Gilbert, as a child, with his grandad Don Gilbert.Macauley Gilbert, as a child, with his grandad Don Gilbert.
Macauley Gilbert, as a child, with his grandad Don Gilbert.

Macauley Gilbert was only eight when Scott Easton’s van forced the family’s car off the A1 in North Yorkshire, killing his mum Paula, her fiance Neil Jex and the couple’s two sons - Tristan, three, and seven-month-old Kaiden, in March 2007.

Macauley, who has since been raised by his grandad Don Gilbert and grandmother Mary, at their home in Lukes Lane Estate, Hebburn, was left with broken legs and a wrist.

Killer driver Scott Easton.Killer driver Scott Easton.
Killer driver Scott Easton.
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Easton, was found to be over the drink drive limit and jailed for seven years, eight months after after admitting four counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Last week the now 34-year-old from Rushyford Avenue, Stockton, was back before Teesside Magistrates’ Court where he admitted to driving with THC and BZE (a cocaine breakdown product) in his system.

Don, 68, says he is disgusted after Easton was banned from driving for 16 months, fined £705, sentenced to a 12 month community order and given 120 hours of unpaid work.

Don said: “It’s an absolute joke. What else does this man have to do?

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“He’s clearly not learned any lessons and again he’s been given a slap on the wrist. It’s disgusting, he needs to be banned for good. Why was he even back behind the wheel?

“We weren’t even told he’d been back up in court for another offence.”

Easton was jailed in 2007.

A judge heard how Eason had slept on his mum’s sofa before waking up for his early-morning shift, making newspaper deliveries in and around North Yorkshire on March 3.

Drivers reported seeing his blue delivery van veering on to the central reservation and kicking up dirt and debris on the A1 north of Catterick shortly before the accident.

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His van was straddling the white lines on the A1 southbound carriageway when it hit the Gilberts’ car, sending it spinning off the road, where it smashed into an avenue of trees and flipped on to its roof.

Ms Gilbert, Mr Jex and the boys were travelling from their Bridlington Parade home in Hebburn to visit Mr Jex’s relatives in Blackburn, Lancs.

At the time, Prosecutor Andrew Dallas said analysis of Easton’s blood alcohol level after the accident showed he had approximately 105mg of alcohol per 120mg of blood. The legal limit was 80mg.

After the sentence don then said: “We thought the sentence would have been much more than that – round about 15 years. My wife is really upset.”