THE family of a student who died after a car crash involving a drunk doctor reacted with fury today after he walked free from court.
A&E doctor David Herbert escaped with a fine after being convicted of driving while unfit through drink, and driving without due care and attention.
Herbert, 26, had been drinking vodka and beer with friends before the accident in Liverpool last November in which 20-year-old student Tom Hanson died.
Today, after Herbert was fined £2,500 and banned from driving for three years at Liverpool crown court, Mr Hanson's mother broke down in tears.
Julie Hanson said: "Until zero tolerance towards the drink driving law is accepted, these incidents are going to keep happening.
"As a family we will mourn our son for the rest of our lives." Mrs Hanson's son died on November 14 after a crash involving Herbert in Queens Drive, Mossley Hill.
The business management student at Liverpool John Moores University was thrown from his Peugeot 206 after the collision with Herbet's Audi.
As he lay dying in the road, Herbert wandered off and went home. He claims he did not see Mr Hanson's body and was dazed and confused because he had suffered a head injury.
He was arrested the next morning at his home in Quarry Street, Woolton. Six hours after the accident he was under the drink-drive limit.
But today's jury ruled that he was drunk at the time of the crash.
He was cleared of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink.
Judge Henry Globe QC, the Recorder of Liverpool, fined Herbert £2,500 and ordered him to pay £1,000 costs.
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