A DRINK-driver who killed a promising young fashion designer when he lost control at the wheel had his sentence cut on appeal today.

Therapist Gareth David Entwhistle, 35, was caged for five and half years at Swansea Crown Court last October.

He admitted causing the death of Miriam Briddon, from Cross Inn, by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit.

Entwhistle, of Ciliau Aeron, Lampeter, was also banned from driving for five years. He was himself badly injured in the March 2014 collision.

Mr Justice Gilbart told London's Criminal Appeal Court that Entwhistle's crime had "ripped apart" the lives of his victim's family.

Miss Briddon, 21, was a talented fashion designer who was due to graduate with a first class degree when her life was cut short, he added.

"A dry recitation of the events of this case can't hide the fact that this was a deep tragedy."

Miss Briddon was travelling to stay with her boyfriend when tragedy struck on the A482 near Ciliau Aeron.

She had left her family home shortly before, promising that she would be back to celebrate Mother's Day.

The head-on collision occurred when Entwhistle's Volkswagen Golf strayed into the wrong side of the road, crashing into Miss Briddon's Fiat Punto.

Entwhistle's legal team said he was now dogged by remorse, also citing his previous impeccable character.

Mr Justice Gilbart said he had been driving at around 60mph before the crash, and that the accident resulted from his speed, loss of control - or both.

"This is a bad case," said the judge, also noting that Entwhistle must have had a "substantial amount to drink".

An eye witness described an encounter with him on the road earlier that day in which she "narrowly missed" colliding with Entwhistle.

However, Mr Justice Gilbart, sitting with Lord Justice Lindblom and Judge David Radford QC, ruled that Entwhistle should have received more credit for his guilty plea.

"We consider that the sentencing judge was in error," he told the court, reducing the sentence to five years.

The appeal judge paid tribute to the "courage and dignity" shown by Miss Briddon's family throughout the harrowing case.