A drunk driver from Exmouth who killed a Brixington mum after she was dragged beneath his car has lost his appeal to have his nine-year jail sentence cut.

A drink-driver from Exmouth, who dragged a mum-of-five to her death after ‘snowploughing’ her body for 200 yards beneath his car, has failed to win an appeal to reduce his nine-year jail sentence.

Sue ‘Scooby’ Dare, of Hawthorne Grove, Brixington, died in July 2008 after she was dragged beneath a car driven by Kevin Stagg, formerly of Mountain Close, Littleham, while he was more than twice the legal alcohol limit.

Last week, Stagg appealed for his sentence to be cut before Lady Justice Rafferty, Mr Justice MacDuff and Judge Peter Jacobs QC, sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

Stagg claimed he had been treated too harshly.

His lawyers argued he had been sentenced outside the guidelines for the offence, after being acquitted of the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

Stagg’s appeal to cut his sentence was refused. The judge also dismissed his application to appeal against conviction.

Refusing permission to appeal, Mr Justice MacDuff said: “In the shocking circumstances of this offence, the judge was entitled to pass a sentence at the top end of the bracket of the relevant guideline.

“Although it is a severe sentence, it is not manifestly excessive or wrong in principle and this application is dismissed.”

Stagg, then 55, had been found guilty by jury of causing Sue Dare’s death by careless driving while over the legal drink-drive limit. He was sentenced at Exeter to nine years in jail and disqualified from driving for seven years.

The court heard how Stagg dragged Mrs Dare’s body beneath his red Metro from the road by Littleham Church to the car park of the Clinton Arms.

Commando Training Centre caterer Mrs Dare, who had been enjoying a night out with friends at the pub, had become trapped beneath Stagg’s car on the walk home from the Clinton Arms.

Merry from a night out, it was thought she had stumbled into the road, when she was struck by Stagg’s car and ‘snowploughed’ along as he drunkenly drove back to the pub to pick up his then girlfriend.

Unaware Mrs Dare was beneath his car, Stagg collected his partner and walked home.

Mrs Dare was spotted beneath Stagg’s car by a passer-by. She died from her injuries.