Peterborough man given suspended sentenced for killing brother while over the limit after family plead for mercy

A Peterborough man has been given a suspended sentence for killing his brother while driving over the limit after his family pleaded for the judge not to send him to prison.

On April 21, Nathen Pearson (32), of Mountbatten Way, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit and for driving while over the legal alcohol limit.

His brother Aden (34) was killed in a late night accident along a Fenland road as a result – but Nathen has avoided prison.

He appeared before Cambridge Crown Court on Friday (July 15) for sentencing before the judge retired to announce his verdict on Monday morning (July 18).

The incident happened at around 11:15pm on March 23 along Gull Drove in Guyhirn.

The court heard that Aden Pearson (34) and his father Jason were out drinking together that evening at Secret Garden pub in Wisbech.

Nathen arrived later and had a few beers but given the condition of his father and brother, he decided to drive them both home.

Once the trio were at the house, Aden said he had to get home to his dog. The others tried to talk him out of leaving but failed.

His brother became concerned as the journey back to Aden’s house was over eight miles so Nathen got back into his van to look for his brother at around 11pm.

After realising his brother had walked the wrong way, he called him and was able to speak to him but Aden would not reveal his exact location.

Nathen then turned the van around and headed in the opposite direction. It was then that he hit Aden, who was walking in the carriageway, while driving with his dipped beams on.

A number of passing drivers stopped to assist and the first person on the scene, who described Nathen’s actions as “extremely frantic”, called 999 while Nathen attempted to give CPR to his brother.

An investigation found that Nathen was driving the van at no faster than 42mph. Due to the time delay between the collision and the station intoxilyser procedure though, Pearson’s level of alcohol in his system was back calculated.

In police interview, he told officers he had gone to look for his brother as he was worried he might get knocked over by a car or end up in a ditch as he was so drunk.

Pearson accepted he was driving the van and admitted drink driving, but claimed he didn’t realise he was that far over the limit and was the most sober one out of the three.

It gave a result of 77 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath – more than double the legal limit of 35 microgrammes. A breath test at the station, carried out at 1.30am, gave a reading of 58 microgrammes.

The court was also asked to consider, as an aggravating factor, that in 2018, Nathen was disqualified from driving for 18 months, later reduced on the attendance of a driving course, for driving having drunk excess alcohol.

Despite this, His Honour Judge Bishop sentenced him to a two-year prison sentence suspended for 21 months as well as a disqualification from driving for five years with an extended retest, 200 hours of unpaid work and 40 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

Nathen, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, was supported in court by his family, who in their victim impact statements stressed the close bond between the brothers, that lived together, and pleaded for the judge not to send Nathen to prison, given the impact that the incident will have on him for the rest of his life and the impact spending time in prison would have had on him.

In her statement, Nathen’s stepmother Nicola said that she had never seen a bond like Aden and Nathen had, not even in her own children.

Nathen’s mother Linda, pleading to the judge, said: “Nathen blames himself and it crucifies me to know that nothing I can do will ever ease his pain. All I can do is hug him and let him know that I am there. Having Nathen there is helping me through the pain.

"Nathen and I have plans to scatter Aden’s ashes together, something we will not be able to do it if he is sent to prison. He is all I have and I can’t lose a second son.”

His father Jason added: “Aden was a completely devoted brother, they were like best friends. He was a lovely man, so caring, kind and considerate. They were so incredibly close.

"I’m so very sorry. Nathen should never have been given the responsibility of looking after us. He now needs the help of his family to get through the living hell he is going through.”

Detective Sergeant Mark Dollard, of the Beds, Cambs and Herts (BCH) Road Policing Unit, said: “This is another case that shows the dangers and consequences of drink driving.

“Pearson left his house that night intending to protect his brother, but due to his alcohol consumption he did exactly the opposite and knocked him down.

“Alcohol affects your cognitive abilities. Regardless of the sanctions imposed today by the court, Pearson will carry his own life sentence for causing the death of his brother.

“If anything can be learned from this tragic case, it is that drink driving ruins lives.

"People can help make the roads of Cambridgeshire safer for everyone by confidentially reporting others they suspect of driving while under the influence.”

The force’s dedicated, confidential hotline: 0800 032 0845 is available 24/7, and gives people the chance to supply the police with information to help reduce the number of drink or drug drivers on the county’s roads.