John
03-21-2009, 10:04 AM
Life term for hit-and-run husband
Anne Dreisler was left paralysed in the lower half of her body
A civil servant has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of trying to kill his wife by mowing her down in a hit-and-run crash.
Anne Dreisler, 36, was knocked off her bicycle in Worthing, West Sussex, on 29 February 2008, and left paralysed.
Martin Hewlett, 45, from Worthing, who had denied attempted murder, was told he would serve a minimum of 17 years.
Jurors at Hove Crown Court had heard how he ran his wife down, drove back over her and then left her for dead.
They were were told that gambling addict Hewlett, who worked at the Department for Work and Pensions, stood to lose everything in the couple's impending divorce.
He had hidden his growing debt from Ms Dreisler, his wife of 14 years.
Without her knowledge, he obtained a £30,000 loan secured against their home, increased their mortgage and then changed providers using her forged signature in order to pay off gambling debts.
The price you were perfectly prepared to pay was the life of another human being, your own wife
He also took out a life insurance policy, enabling either of them to receive a lump sum in the event of the other's death, which in February 2008 stood at £125,625.
Hewlett stole a white Transit van and mowed his wife down just four days before their divorce finance proceedings were to be heard.
Ms Dreisler, who worked as a theatre nurse at Worthing Hospital, told jurors she felt certain the van headed for her purposely as she cycled home from a friend's house at about 2230 GMT.
The court heard Hewlett had taken her off their car insurance policy, forcing her to cycle everywhere.
She spent three months in hospital with life-threatening injuries, including multiple rib and neck fractures, bleeding in her internal organs and paralysis to the lower half of her body.
'Life torn apart'
In a victim impact statement, Ms Dreisler said she had had to move in with her parents in Denmark, where she grew up, in order for them to care for her.
She said her life had "dramatically changed" and she could no longer enjoy the active lifestyle she was once used to.
Judge David Rennie said Hewlett set about planning his wife's death, "in the most chilling, premeditated, calculated manner, that beggared belief".
He added that to rid himself of his money problems, "the price you were perfectly prepared to pay was the life of another human being, your own wife".
In a statement after Hewlett was sentenced, Ms Dreisler said: "I'm relieved that justice has finally been done and that Martin will face a long time behind bars.
"For the first time since this happened I feel safe again. My life has been torn apart by the actions of my estranged husband but due to the verdict I can now go home and begin rebuilding my life."
Anne Dreisler was left paralysed in the lower half of her body
A civil servant has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of trying to kill his wife by mowing her down in a hit-and-run crash.
Anne Dreisler, 36, was knocked off her bicycle in Worthing, West Sussex, on 29 February 2008, and left paralysed.
Martin Hewlett, 45, from Worthing, who had denied attempted murder, was told he would serve a minimum of 17 years.
Jurors at Hove Crown Court had heard how he ran his wife down, drove back over her and then left her for dead.
They were were told that gambling addict Hewlett, who worked at the Department for Work and Pensions, stood to lose everything in the couple's impending divorce.
He had hidden his growing debt from Ms Dreisler, his wife of 14 years.
Without her knowledge, he obtained a £30,000 loan secured against their home, increased their mortgage and then changed providers using her forged signature in order to pay off gambling debts.
The price you were perfectly prepared to pay was the life of another human being, your own wife
He also took out a life insurance policy, enabling either of them to receive a lump sum in the event of the other's death, which in February 2008 stood at £125,625.
Hewlett stole a white Transit van and mowed his wife down just four days before their divorce finance proceedings were to be heard.
Ms Dreisler, who worked as a theatre nurse at Worthing Hospital, told jurors she felt certain the van headed for her purposely as she cycled home from a friend's house at about 2230 GMT.
The court heard Hewlett had taken her off their car insurance policy, forcing her to cycle everywhere.
She spent three months in hospital with life-threatening injuries, including multiple rib and neck fractures, bleeding in her internal organs and paralysis to the lower half of her body.
'Life torn apart'
In a victim impact statement, Ms Dreisler said she had had to move in with her parents in Denmark, where she grew up, in order for them to care for her.
She said her life had "dramatically changed" and she could no longer enjoy the active lifestyle she was once used to.
Judge David Rennie said Hewlett set about planning his wife's death, "in the most chilling, premeditated, calculated manner, that beggared belief".
He added that to rid himself of his money problems, "the price you were perfectly prepared to pay was the life of another human being, your own wife".
In a statement after Hewlett was sentenced, Ms Dreisler said: "I'm relieved that justice has finally been done and that Martin will face a long time behind bars.
"For the first time since this happened I feel safe again. My life has been torn apart by the actions of my estranged husband but due to the verdict I can now go home and begin rebuilding my life."