Longer jail term for driver who killed boyfriend Alfie Lovett

The Attorney General had said Howarth’s original sentence had failed to adequately punish her or act as a deterrent to further crime.

At the Court of Appeal, Lord Justice Popplewell, sitting with Mr Justice Linden and Mrs Justice Hill, said the sentencing judge was wrong to reduce the sentence because of poor conditions in UK prisons, and had reduced the sentence too much to reflect Howarth’s age.

Popplewell said: “We agree the judge fell into error in the way he applied a reduction for youth.”

There was also limited mitigation in a delay before Howarth was charged, he said.

During the hearing, Kelly Brocklehurst, representing the Attorney General, said: “We acknowledge there was a significant amount of mitigation, but ultimately it was a sentence that had to punish the offender and deter further acts.”

Glenn Parsons, representing Howarth, said the case was a “profound tragedy” and Howarth’s grief was “overwhelming”.

He said she was “embedded” in the Lovett family and was a good influence on Alfie, who had become a father 12 weeks before his death.

Parsons said the delay in charging Howarth was unacceptable as she had admitted killing Lovett at the roadside.

Howarth also told police she had told the boys they must wear seatbelts and it would be “her fault” if they took them off during the drive to Brimham Rocks, a National Trust site near Harrogate, the court heard.

Howarth appeared in court via video link from HMP Low Newton near Durham and sobbed during the hearing.