A DEVASTATED sister paid an emotional tribute to her “selfless” brother who was killed on the A127 by a driver who had taken a cocktail of morphine, cocaine and cannabis.

Alice Greenslade read out her powerful victim impact statement at Basildon Crown Court detailing how she has coped with the death of her brother Ben in September 2018.

David Hanson, 44, of Hope Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent, has been sent to jail for more than two years after he caused the death of 30-year-old Ben nearly two years ago.

Mr Greenslade, a 30-year-old Royal Mail worker and avid cyclist, was struck by Hanson as he cycled down the Southend-bound carriageway of the A127 on September 2, 2018.

The crash happened near the Dick Turpin pub, where Hanson crashed his Ford Transit van into the back of Mr Greenslade’s bike, sending him sprawling across the bonnet and onto the footpath next to the road.

She said: “It is said people cannot choose their family, but Ben was a brother you would pick, so kind, so selfless, so patient.

“He wanted to live a long life. He was the healthiest and fittest person I knew.

“The world was robbed of one of its best men, my life came crashing down.

“When I wake up, my heart shatters, my chest hits really tight. I am haunted because I am living in the world without him.

“It’s all encompassing and paralysing.”

Hanson shed tears with his head in his hands as Ms Greenslade spoke.

She added: “My focus always turns to Ben, I think about all the time I lost with him.

“I feel crushed when I am reminded of him dying on the roadside surrounded by strangers. He should have died on a warm bed surrounded by loved ones.

“Ben was not only my brother, he was my best friend.

“Losing him is a life sentence.”

Judge Samantha Leigh praised Mr Greenslade’s family for their dignity in the court and for Ms Greenslade for having the courage to read out her statement in person.

Hanson had taken a cocktail of drugs

David Hanson was drugged up on morphine, cocaine and cannabis when he crashed into Ben resulting in his tragic death.

Hanson has been sent to jail for more than two years.

He was arrested at the scene and drugs tests were carried out.

Following a lengthy police investigation, Hanson was charged in March this year, and admitted causing death by dangerous driving in Basildon Crown Court on Friday.

Prosecutor Robert Forest said: “The defendant remained at the scene, and the ambulance was called, but Mr Greenslade was very sadly pronounced dead at the roadside.

Echo: David HansonDavid Hanson

“He must have been driving dangerously and the prosecution say he should have been aware of the cyclist and should have passed him safely.

“Toxicology reports were made four hours after the collision and analysis revealed a cocktail of prescription and illegal drugs.”

The drugs in his system included cocaine, morphine and cannabis, and Mr Forest said that Hanson would have been twice the legal limit for driving.

Christopher Martin, mitigating for Hanson, said he was “genuinely remorseful”, adding: “He doubts he will ever want to drive again.”

Sentencing Hanson to 28 months in prison, Judge Samantha Leigh said: “Whenever the court is passing sentence it’s not in any way a value on life that has been lost. The value of life is immeasurable. This incident took seconds, but the ramifications of it will last lifetimes.”