A FATHER has spoken out about the devastating effects of drink driving after his son died in a crash.

Gary McIntosh, aged 54, lost 22-year-old Andrew in a car crash caused by a drink-driver on October 5 last year.

Andrew, who lived in Leigh, suffered catastrophic fatal injuries when Ashley Brown lost control on a curve and her Ford Ka crashed into a concrete bollard in Westleigh Lane, Leigh.

Mr McIntosh was a passenger in the car and had been on a night on in Leigh town centre before the crash happened.

It is understood he had only met Brown for the first time hours previously.

Brown, also aged 22, of Douglas Road in Leigh, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and was sentenced to three years in jail and banned from driving for 27 months.

Following her sentence, Andrew’s father has spoken out about the devastating effects of drink driving and said he wants to raise awareness of the risks so his son "hasn’t died in vain". 

Gary said: “Andrew was one of 10 siblings and the effect it has had on them and us as a family, you can’t begin to imagine.

“It has also had an effect on Ashley’s family - I spoke to her family at the court and they were genuinely remorseful and devastated about what has happened.

“The death of someone in this way has a knock-on effect for lots of people.

“The day he actually died was his brother's ninth birthday so that will now always remind him of Andrew’s death. We tried to make it special for him this year.

“You could say that the sentence was a touch on the lenient side but, at the end of the day, this was a tragic accident.

“It is tragic for her family as well as ours and I can see both sides because Andrew must have known that she was under the influence and he chose to get in that car, but he would never have known what was going to happen - that is one of the reasons why I can be sympathetic."

Gary, who lives in Whitefield, said that Andrew was a charismatic man who was “full of life”.

He added: “He would speak and get on with any one; he was full of character, a truly bubbly person.”

On November 16, the family celebrated what would have been Andrew’s 23rd birthday - the first birthday without him.

His father said: “We did the same as we used to do with Andrew. His favourite meal was cannelloni so we had a cannelloni meal with all the family and had a little moment for him. It was hard.

“I just want others to stop and think of the effects that drink driving has before they do it or get into a car with someone under the influence.

"If after speaking out I can stop one person from drinking driving Andrew’s death will not have been in vain."