A TEENAGER was jailed today for causing the death of 21-year-old Jordan Maxwell by dangerous driving.

Jake Buckle, 18, of Kingswood, Bristol, was sentenced to four years and four months jail for causing the death of Mr Maxwell by dangerous driving, driving without a licence and driving whilst uninsured.

Mr Maxwell was killed in a crash on the A38 at Hardwicke last year.

He was a passenger in the Mazda 6 being driven by Buckle who was 17 at the time of the incident on 22 April 2018 at 2.20am.

Jordan’s emotional mother Zoe told Gloucester Crown Court: “I am devastated and heartbroken and don’t want live anymore.

“The day my son died, I died.

“Jordan was my special boy. I loved him so much. I can’t imagine life without him.

“He was a rock in the family. His death has devastated us. As a mother it’s been hard.”

Mrs Maxwell turned to Buckle in the dock flanked by three officers and asked: “Why did you do this?”

A statement from Douglas Maxwell, Jordan’s grandfather, spoke of the family’s loss and said they had been completely overwhelmed by the response of so many of his friends, many of who had attended Jordan’s funeral.

He added: “We are trying to cope without him. There is no more laughter or corny jokes, just memories.”

Judge Ian Lawrie QC said: “Buckle is being sentenced as an adult, but his sentence will reflect that he was a youth at the time.

“This offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be considered.”

The judge turned to Buckle and said: “You are responsible for Jordan’s untimely death. I have been touched by the evidence given by Jordan’s mother.

“Another passenger Sam Stone gave evidence about your driving in the hours before the crash.

"He describes 'driving around Stroud whilst smoking a spliff'. You were under the influence of drugs. He is lucky he got out of the car before the accident.

“You stated you fell asleep at the wheel. Whatever the mechanics of drugs you had in your body, you were stoned.

"You were inexperienced and travelling at speeds of between 86mph and 96mph at the time of the collision in a 50mph speed limit.

“You collided with some mature trees and Jordan was ejected from the vehicle.

"You got out of the car with little injury and panicked and left the scene and went to a friend’s house in Quedgeley.

“You did however surrender to the police later that morning and made a variety of admissions.”

The judge sentenced Buckle to four years and four months imprisonment at a young offenders’ institution; banned him from driving for five-and-a-half years and ordered him to take an extended driving test and imposed a £30 victim surcharge.

As the sentence was announced, an uproar erupted from the public gallery.

The judge also ordered for the forfeiture and destruction of the wrecked vehicle.

The judge then spoke in private to the victim's family.