A driver has been jailed for 40 months after killing his girlfriend in a high-speed car crash.
Thomas McDonough was handed the sentence at Liverpool Crown Court after he admitted to causing the death of Elizabeth Buckley by dangerous driving.
The 22-year-old had lost control of his vehicle before it crashed on Thornton Road on December 2 last year with Buckley fatally in the passenger seat.
Sergeant Paul Hulme, from Merseyside Police’s Road Policing Unit, said: “This was a horrific incident which has had a devastating impact on Elizabeth’s family and their friends.
“Elizabeth was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her and no sentence can reflect the scale of their loss.
“It is clear from our investigation that McDonough’s actions behind the wheel were a reckless attempt to impress his passenger and had he not accelerated in the way he did, we believe this collision would have been avoided.
“The incident has had a devastating effect on all those involved and serves as a reminder to all drivers, the speed limit is there for a reason so stick to it.”
In a family statement, Elizabeth’s mum Karen Kujawa paid a glowing tribute to the 19-year-old
She said: “Elizabeth had her whole life in front of her.
“She was beautiful inside and out. She lit up the room with her smile. She was funny, quirky, loyal and clever. She had it all taken away from her on that night by Thomas McDonough.
“The chance to live her life with all the opportunities that go with that. She will never fall in love and get married.
“She will never get the chance to have the children she so desperately wanted in the future. Elizabeth was so loved and we miss her terribly, every single minute of every day.
“We are broken. Our life is a poorer place without her in it. It has been an absolute honour and a privilege to have called her our daughter.
“Thomas McDonough had a duty of care towards Elizabeth when she got in his car which he disregarded.
“This highlights the issue of young driver awareness and the consequences that occur when safety isn’t taken seriously.
“The parents of all young drivers have a responsibility to ensure that their child/children have the skill and experience when driving and that the cars that they are driving are within their capabilities.
“If this is adhered to then perhaps there would be less deaths of young people in road incidents and Elizabeth might be alive today.”