The sister of a teenager killed by a drink-driver is pleading with revellers not to get behind the wheel this Christmas.

Leighanne Charge, 19, was hit by a car as she crossed the road at a roundabout, in The Parkway, Hounslow, on Easter Sunday.

Speaking this week, her newly-married sister, Victoria Pond, said her family’s Christmas would be filled with tears after her sister’s devastating death at the hands of a drink-driver.

She said: “I cannot express my hate towards drink-drivers any more - you ruin lives.

“Think before you drink and drive, think about how you would feel if someone got behind a wheel of a car knowing that they had been drinking and hit your love one. That might be the last time you see your loved one alive.

“I wish the man who killed our Leighanne had thought that because she would still be here with us all and this Christmas would be filled with laughter and joy not sorrow and tears.

“My family's life has been destroyed and it will never be the same.”

Vytautus Bartkevicius, 20, of Martindale Road, Hounslow, was jailed for four years in August after admitting causing Miss Charge’s death by careless driving under the influence of alcohol. The Lithuanian-born man had been three times over the drink-drive limit when he ploughed into the budding police officer.

He claimed he had been drinking after he learned his ex-girlfriend had suffered a miscarriage with his baby.

Miss Charge’s family appeared at the Court of Appeal last week arguing that Bartkevicius’ sentence was “unduly lenient” and should be increased. However it was ruled the original sentence should remain.

Mrs Pond’s plea follows the launch of the Metropolitan Police’s Christmas anti-drink and drug driving campaign.

Police sent out a strong warning that anyone found to be driving under the influence of drink or drugs will be arrested and could face losing their licence, being fined, or a jail term.

Chief Superintendent David Snelling, head of the Met’s Traffic Unit, said: "Drink and drug drivers need to be aware there are very real consequences to their actions.

“Not only do they risk arrest and imprisonment, they are also putting themselves and the lives of others at danger. Why would you do that?"

Between November 2008 to November 2009 a total of 525 arrests were carried out in Hounlsow alone for drink and/or drug offences.

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