The mother of a man who died in a crash just three days before Christmas said she feels sympathy for the driver who caused his death and for his family.

Eva Turner's son Clive Hancock, 37, known to his friends as Swampy, was one of three killed when drink-driver Luke Quinell's van ploughed into their car on December 22 last year.

Sharon Hewer, 38, of Hobart Close, Worthing, and 39-year-old Ivor Bingham, from Sherbourne, Dorset, were also killed when Quinell's VW Transporter crashed into their stationary Mazda.

The Mazda had been involved in a minor collision with a Honda Accord moments earlier after leaving the Coach and Horses pub on the A27 at Salvington, near Worthing, at about midnight.

A 43-year-old man from Devon who was driving the Honda also suffered serious injuries. Quinell suffered minor injuries.

Quinell, 24, of Grafton Street, Portsmouth, was jailed for six years and banned from driving for ten years after he pleaded guilty at Chichester Crown Court yesterday to three charges of causing death by careless driving while over the drink drive limit.

Mrs Turner, 69, of Cleve Way, Billingshurst, and her husband Wilfred, Clive's stepfather, were in court for the sentencing.

Speaking afterwards she said: "We know the boy did wrong but we feel sympathy towards him and his parents. Accidents do happen but unfortunately this one ended in tragedy.

"Obviously we feel our loss but whatever is said or done will not bring those three people back again. There is no point dwelling on it. We will never get over it. Our son will always be with us.

"We do feel sorry for the boy. He is so young and has to live with what he did for the rest of his life."

Quinell was more than twice the drink-drive limit when his van was involved in the collision, the court heard.

Jailing him, Judge Anthony Thorpe said: "The fact is that three people died and nothing can bring them back, nor lessen the impact on their families. That is a matter you will have on your conscience until the day you die.

"You left the scene of the accident which was a serious aggravating factor. You were warned not to drive having had too much to drink."

Judge Thorpe said the sentence would send a serious message that deaths as a result of drink-driving would not be tolerated.

A statement on behalf of Sharon Hewer's family read: "This has had consequences beyond anyone's control, of ripping a family nucleus apart.

"For the most part, things will never be the same again. No amount of so-called justice can ever put this right.

"Christmas for our family and, especially her children, will now have a different aspect to it, which is extremely sad.

"However Mr Quinell, despite any sentence given, will always pay a higher price. He will never forget what his decisions on that fateful night have caused.

"His family suffers along with us and there is no animosity to him personally. His own conscience is his sentence."

Nichola Delnevo, 41, and her partner Peter Bond were the landlady and landlord of the Coach and Horses where the three people who died in the crash were regulars.

Ms Delnevo and her daughter Christina, 19, witnessed the crash. Quinell's guilty plea meant they were spared the ordeal of giving evidence in court.

Ms Delnevo said: "Myself and Peter thought the sentence was fair. This was a tragic accident and as ex-licensees of the Coach and Horses our thoughts go out to the families of the deceased and also to the van driver and his family.

"We do hope this tragic accident will encourage the local authorities to step up their decision on improving the safety of that stretch of the A27."

Lesley Hill lives next to the Coach and Horses pub and has been campaigning to make the A27 safer for years. Her son Andrew, 18, was almost killed three years ago when the car he was travelling in was hit twice as it turned off the A27 and into Ivydore Road in Worthing.

She said: "I know he is a young person but there is no excuse for being drunk. He will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life."

Inspector Mark Trimmer, of Sussex Police, said: "This was a horrific accident that has devastated four families.

"I hope that this sentence sends a message to drivers of the consequences of drinking and driving."