THE heartbroken family of two women killed in a fatal car crash alongside a child have issued a plea to people not to drink or take drugs and drive this Christmas or risk wrecking lives forever.

Cousins Claire Adkins, 39, Courtney Hemming, 26, and six-year-old Leo Painter were killed by a speeding drink and drug driver on the A44 Spetchley Road, near Worcester earlier this year.

Now their families must face their first Christmas without their loved ones as they send a stark warning to drivers not to drink or take drugs so that others may be spared the pain which is their reality, every day.

Their hope is that their message will save lives and mean others are not forced to share the same unbearable grief they continue to suffer every day.

The families of Mrs Adkins and Miss Hemming have asked people to consider the devastating consequences of drink and drug driving following the fatal crash on February 22 which saw driver, Joe-Lewis Tyler jailed for 19 years.

The 34-year-old of Grenville Road, Dines Green, Worcester was jailed for 18 years on August 5 (only for it to be increased to 19 years at a later hearing) at Worcester Crown Court after he ploughed an uninsured BMW into a taxi, killing all three people inside.

Tyler was driving at 90mph in a 50mph road and was over the limit for alcohol and cocaine and cannabis metabolites as he drove to see a friend in Badsey. 

Claire's mum, Julia Earlam and Tracy Hemming (Courtney's aunt and Claire's cousin) are united in their view that people should call 999 if they see a drink driver getting behind the wheel, especially if they are not able to stop them driving off.LOVED: Claire Adkins (right) and Courtney Hemming died in the fatal crash at Spetchley (Image: Supplied)

Mrs Earlam, 62, of Ash Avenue, Brickfields, Worcester, said: "If you see someone get in a car after drinking or taking drugs, the next person who gets killed could be your family member. You hear about a car crash and people say 'oh, what a shame'. But they think it's something that happens to other people.

"It's happened to us. I would not have thought in a million years it would happen to us. Our life is destroyed now. None of us will be completely happy ever again and no amount of time is going to change that.

"Instead of buying them Christmas presents, we are buying them ornaments to take to the cemetery."

LOVED: Leo Painter, six, died in the crash at Spetchley (Image: SWNS) She added: "If you're drinking or taking drugs as well, do not get in the car. Take a taxi because the moment you get in the car, you can destroy so many lives and your own family's life. Your own family is going to be known to have a killer in it."

Miss Hemming, a mum-of-three, 45, of Ambleside Drive, Warndon, Worcester said of drink and drug driving: "Just don't do it. If this message saves just one life, it's worth it. I don't blame the bar staff but people need to be more aware when they're serving drinks that the person buying them isn't going to be driving home."

She added: "If someone had made one phone call, things could have been different. Make sure it's 999. If you see driving like this, it is an emergency. That could save somebody's life."

KILLER: Joe-Lewis Tyler who was behind the wheel of the BMW and caused the fatal crash on the A44 Spetchley Road (Image: West Mercia Police) Mrs Earlam said the person in the passenger seat was also responsible and urged them to stop the driver getting behind the wheel.

Meanwhile, the campaign for Tyler to serve the entirety of the sentence continues in earnest as the families explore ways to fight for 'justice' in the wake of the deaths.

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The decision not to allow the case to proceed to appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme came as a hammer blow to families when it was announced on Monday, September 2 by the Attorney General's Office.

With good behaviour Tyler will be released on licence after 12 years and nine months from the date of his sentence in August.

Both women said it hurt to see drug dealers getting longer sentences in court than a man who had killed three people.

Mrs Earlam said: "Anybody who sees someone drinking before they drive, try and stop them. If you can't, phone the police. The next crash could involve your family."