A DRIVER was today jailed for causing the death of Huddersfield woman Jolene Potter-Connolly.

Eton Brewins, of Shepley, was found guilty of causing her death by dangerous driving after a nine-day trial at Leeds Crown Court.

And he was given a four and a half year jail sentence for the crime.

Brewins, 26, of Field Head, had also been charged with manslaughter after the incident in September last year.

Miss Potter-Connolly died when she was dragged 168 metres beneath Brewins' car as he fled after a fracas in the car park outside the Visage nightclub complex at Folly Hall.

But the jury failed to reach a verdict on the manslaughter charge last Thursday and was discharged.

They returned to the court today to deliver their 10-2 verdict on the driving charge, after a total of 10 hours deliberation.

The verdict was greeted by sobbing relatives of Miss Potter-Connolly, who have followed every day of the trial.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Wakerley, told Brewins: "Nothing I can say can restore the life of Jolene and no penalty that I can impose can reconcile her family to their loss nor can it lessen their grief.

"She was a young girl on the threshold of a new life.

"The aggravating feature in this case is that your judgement was impaired by drink.

"Your defence of duress of circumstances has been rejected and I have no doubts your actions in getting out of your car and taking a baton from it played a part.

"In my judgement your culpability was relatively high. That poor girl was fatally injured by your actions."

Miss Potter-Connolly was a former University of Huddersfield student who had many friends, both in Huddersfield and elsewhere.

She was a former pupil at Almondbury Junior and High Schools before later studying at Honley High School and at Huddersfield Technical College.

She undertook part of her business studies course in the United States and there fell in love with 30-year-old Jon Eichner.

The pair planned to marry.

The trial was told how Brewins became involved in a fracas in the nightclub car park and threatened people with a police-style baton.

But he was overpowered by a man, Martin Adams, and drove off at speed in his car with two other men.

The prosecution alleged Brewins drove at speed and that Miss Potter-Connolly was dragged along beneath his car.