A young Purley mum celebrating her birthday was killed when a speeding drunk driver ploughed into the minicab she was travelling in.

Scout leader Vicki Lamont died on her way home from a night out celebrating her 31st birthday with her boyfriend, Peter Davis and friend Tim Mason.

Tragically Miss Lamont, a shop assistant and popular leader at Purley Oaks explorer scouts, died on her own daughter Phoebe's seventh birthday.

The mum-of-one was returning to Brancaster Lane, Purley, when a VW Passat driven by Paul Kilby struck her minicab in Brighton Road, Purley. Mr Kilby, 54, was a mini-cab driver who was off duty at the time of the crash.

At the inquest into their death at Croydon Coroners Court, a pathologist report revealed Mr Kilby was three times the legal drink drive limit, with 254 micrograms of alcohol found in 100 millilitres of his blood.

Collision investigator Steven Gilbert, told the inquest he used CCTV from a nearby convenience store to estimate the speed of both vehicles.

The court heard the minicab carrying Miss Lamont's party and driven by Muhed Sultan had been travelling at an average speed of about 30mph, but Mr Kilby, who was believed to have been returning to his Addington Road home, was estimated to have been travelling between 67 and 90mph.

He said: "In respect of Mr Kilby's car there is evidence of high speed. The CCTV has also been used to try to establish his speed, I have given a wider range because I could only use two or three frames, but he is thought to have been travelling between 67 and 90mph."

Both Miss Lamont and Mr Kilby died of multiple injuries. Delivering verdicts of accidental death, Coroner Dr Roy Palmer described the case as tragic.

He said: "Both deaths were the result of a road traffic collision with excess alcohol and excess speed. "I will record a verdict of accidental death. To all concerned who knew or liked them you have my sympathies."


Don't drink and drive, said grieving mum.

Vicky Lamont's mother has called for zero tolerance when it comes to drink driving.

Yvonne Lamont and her husband Brian condemned drink drivers after hearing the man who ploughed into their daughter's minicab was not only speeding but three times the drink drive limit.

The couple said their daughter had done everything right, calling a mini cab after drinking the night she died.

Mrs Lamont said: "She would never even have dreamt of it [drink driving]. I know when you are drinking you don't always realise how much, but I really don't understand people that get in a car and drive it.

"We should have something that is more rigid, there should be some way of being able to ascertain how much alcohol you have in your system. If you have been drinking, no driving."

The couple would not comment on the actions of Paul Kilby, but Miss Lamont's father Brian said: "You can't put blame on his family because they weren't driving the car. It was just him in the car so you can't put blame on them at all."

Paying tribute their daughter, Mrs Lamont said: "Vicky was vivacious, loud and fun loving. She was loyal and had the biggest heart you could ever come across, nothing was ever to much trouble for anybody. You couldn't lie to her and you didn't cross Vicky, she knew her own mind and everyone else's as well."

Thanking their family and friends for their support, Miss Lamont's parents said: "We really do appreciate all the support we have got from our family and friends, it has been absolutely massive over the last year and today."