The partner of pregnant Hollyoaks star Frankie Jules-Hough who was killed by a driver show filmed himself speeding has branded his 12-year sentence ‘insulting’.
Ms Jules-Hough, 38, was 17 weeks pregnant when she suffered devastating brain injuries after her killer ploughed into her Skoda Fabia at an estimated 92mph.
22-year-old Adil Iqbal was jailed for 12 years after admitting to causing the death of Ms Jules-Houghon on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester, on 13 May.
Her partner partner Calvin Buckley told BBC Breakfast that the ‘lenient’ sentence did not reflect the damage Mr Iqbal had inflicted on their family.
‘It’s not just about giving him a tougher sentence because we want to punish him and it’s not that we want revenge for what’s happened,’ he told the programme.
Partner Calvin Buckley told BBC Breakfast that people did not take speeding seriously as a crime and or consider how dangerous it can be
‘It’s like if people aren’t getting tough sentences for this they’re going to keep doing it and it’s just disappointing and insulting to the family.’
Mr Iqbal from Accrington, Lancashire, was driving his father’s BMW with one hand while holding his phone with the other to film himself speeding, in what Mr Buckley described as a ‘a thrill, for his ego’.
With the possible intent to upload the video on Facebook, Mr Iqbal recklessly tailgated and undertook other vehicles, weaving across lanes at speeds of up to 123mph.
Mr Buckley told BBC Breakfast that people did not take speeding seriously as a crime or consider how dangerous it can be.
He said: ‘For him to be doing that, filming for a thrill, for his ego, the devastation and the impact that can cause, how is that worth it?’
Mr Buckley describes the harrowing moment he arrived at the crash scene, and described it as a ‘horror movie’ as he watched emergency services attend to Frankie at the roadside.
He added that it felt like a ‘miracle’ that her two sons and nephew, who were also in the car, had even got out despite the back of the car being ‘totally crushed’ by the impact.
He said he was thankful he was able to tell Ms Jules-Hough he loved her, and the couple were able to have ‘a proper goodbye’ about half an hour before the crash before they all headed out for a ‘celebration’.
Hollyoaks star Frankie Jules-Hough, 38, was 17 weeks pregnant when iqbal ploughed into her Skoda Fabia at an estimated 92mph
Ms Jules-Hough appeared on Hollyoaks as Jess Holt between 2000 and 2001, and had roles in Merseybeat, Heartbeat, Where The Heart Is and Wire In The Blood
The devastating crash took place at 3.10pm on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester, on 13 May
Mr Buckley said: ‘We were going out for a celebration that day, that’s the reason Frankie was on the road.
‘I saw Frankie before the incident and said goodbye, I said I love her which I’m really happy that I managed to do. We did get a proper goodbye.’
He added that within 20 to 30 minutes he had got a phone call saying she had been in a crash.
He said: ‘My first thought was the baby. I just kept thinking she’s lost the baby and I just wanted to get to the crash scene.’
Ms Jules-Hough was pregnant with her first daughter but both tragically died two days after the crash in hospital, surrounded by her loved ones.
She appeared on Hollyoaks as Jess Holt between 2000 and 2001, and had roles in Merseybeat, Heartbeat, Where The Heart Is and Wire In The Blood, before becoming a Reiki practitioner.
Her son and nephew suffered serious brain injuries and were left in a coma with long-term outcomes of their injuries remaining uncertain, the court heard.
Mr Buckley initially thought that Ms Jules-Hough’s injuries were not not life-threatening before medics delivered him the devastating news they didn’t think she would pull though.
22-year-old Adil Iqbal, 22, was jailed for 12 years after he after admitting to causing the death of Ms Jules-Houghon the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester, on 13 May
Iqbal, from Accrington, Lancashire, who was driving a BMW, was arrested at the scene (pictured outside Manchester Crown Court in June)
Last year, judges were given the power to hand down greater sentences to those convicted of death by dangerous driving.
The maximum tariff was 14 years but it was increased to life imprisonment.
Solicitor Polly Herbert expressed her disappointment that Mr Iqbal did not receive a longer sentence.
She described his decision to speed as ‘prolonged dangerous, deliberately dangerous driving over a prolonged period of time’ and not ‘heat of the moment’.
She added: ‘We were all hoping that this was an opportunity for the judicial system to say this kind of crime is real crime and the sentencing that was available should have been utilised in this particular case due to the horrendous aggravating features,’ she said.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Cox said this was not an accident, but a ‘choice’ to be ‘selfish, dangerous, and reckless’ which ‘absolutely devastates people’.
Mr Buckley said he wanted to ‘make a difference’ by sharing his story and would share his message in schools, colleges and do talks.
He said: ‘I’d like to see something being done about it. It needs a campaign where there’s adverts raising awareness.
‘What happened to me I don’t want to happen to other people.’
