Driver who fled crash that killed friend and horse has sentence extended
A disqualified driver responsible for the death of his friend and a horse during a high speed "race" has been given extra time behind bars for wasting top judges' time.
On the morning of September 18 2012, Helmuts Punovskis sped with his friend Armands Ozolins down a single lane road in rural Shropshire.
Their reckless competition ended in a crash which left Ozolins dead. A horse was also killed and its rider - sportswoman and mother-of-three, Wendy Garrett - was badly injured.
Punovskis, 32, a Latvian, of Turreff Avenue, Donnington, Shropshire, fled the scene, leaving his friend dying.
He later tried to persuade police that the mother of his young child had been the driver of the car, when in fact she was not involved at all.
Punovskis was jailed for 12 years at Shrewsbury Crown Court in April.
He was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.
Today he asked Lady Justice Sharp, Mr Justice Kenneth Parker and Mrs Justice Elisabeth Laing at London's Criminal Appeal Court, to reduce his sentence.
