Woman Gets Probation in Naked, Drunk-Driving Death

(Victoria, Australia) A 19-year-old woman, Jessica Maree Langford, appeared in court and was sentenced for driving naked and drunk and causing the death of her boyfriend, Daniel Andrew Glover, in November 2008.

Langford was sentenced to a "two-year community-based order" (how to say "probation" in Australian) by Judge Ross Howie.

Howie said he had been convinced not to lock up Langford due to evidence that Langford suffered a serious mental illness and the forgiving attitude of Daniel's mother, Cheryl Glover.

Ms Glover said Jessica had received a fair trial and she hoped people would give her "a fair go" in life.

"I know there is going to be a bit of controversy about not going to jail and mental illness but you have got to forgive ... unless you live it it is hard to understand," she told reporters outside court. […]

The pair, who had been a couple for six months, were described as "in love" and had been skinny dipping and drinking alcohol at Shoreham beach before the fatal crash at about 1.30am (AEDT).

They didn't put their clothes back on because they'd used them to dry themselves. Langford denied any sexual activity had taken place in the car.

The exact nature of Langford's illness was not disclosed in court but it existed before the accident and had prompted problems since, including suicide attempts and psychosis.

At the time of the accident, Langford was driving 104 km/hr in a 90 km/hr zone with a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.098.