Emotional partner of pregnant Hollyoaks star killed in crash feels 'let down'

16 October 2023 , 07:34

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Calvin Buckley, the heartbroken partner of late Hollyoaks actress Frankie Jules-Hough, says the family can't grieve her death as they've been 'let down' by the courts

The heartbroken partner of late Hollyoaks actress Frankie Jules-Hough can't grieve her death as they've been 'let down' by the courts.

Calvin Buckley appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain this morning where he spoke to hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley about the tragic loss of Frankie Jules-Hough, who was 18 weeks pregnant with her third child at the time of her death. She had died in a crash along with her unborn daughter, Neeve. Her son, nine, and four-year-old nephew were also injured in the crash.

Adil Iqbal was driving with one hand and filming with the other at a speed of 123mph before the crash. He was initially sentenced for 12 years, before the sentence was extended to 15 years. Last week, three appeal judges in London increased Adil Iqbal’s jail term to 15 years after concluding the original sentence was unduly lenient.

Frankie Jules-Hough died in the crash (PA)

Speaking on the show today, Calvin said: "They always talk about death by dangerous driving isn't intentional, nobody goes out to do that. But when you're driving at that speed and taking that level of risk, and you're intentionally breaking laws, and risking people's lives, that is just as bad in my opinion. What else does someone have to do to see it as a life sentence?"

Calvin explained he was "shocked" by the initial sentence, and the family feel "angry and disappointed" by the new sentence and says Iqbal should have been handed a life sentence. In 2022, judges were told they could hand out a life sentence as the maximum penalty to those found guilty of death by dangerous driving – the previous maximum sentence was 14 years.

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"I was shocked and I was also angry and very disappointed. We felt we had been let down by the justice system. It was really difficult for us as a family to move on and grieve because of the injustice," he added.

Adil Iqbal was driving with one hand and filming with the other at a speed of 123mph (GMP / SWNS)

"With the severity and how extreme the case is, we do think it warrants a life sentence. The judge on the appeal, he was a lot different. He spoke about the family more. It was more personal and he actually got across in his summary that it's the worst case he's seen. After, it was still confusing [as he had only given three more years]."

After the increased sentence, a statement from the victim's family's solicitor Rose Gibson-Harper read: "Today’s sentencing review is a step forward towards the justice system finally treating road crime as real crime.

"This is, we believe, the biggest sentence for death by dangerous driving, with the Court of Appeal judges ruling that Iqbal’s original term was unduly lenient due to his persistent bad driving ... This case stands as one of the worst examples of dangerous driving I have witnessed in my 27-year career as a catastrophic injury lawyer, and the Court of Appeal judges agreed with this today."

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Jasmine Allday