A STOURBRIDGE man who admitted causing the death of his girlfriend in a car crash has avoided prison.

Thomas Whitehouse, aged 23, of Burns Close, was given a four month jail term, suspended for 12 months, after he pleaded guilty to causing the death of 26-year-old Samantha Jennings by careless or inconsiderate driving. He also admitted to possessing cannabis.

His Vauxhall Astra collided with a wall on the A449 at Cookley before hitting a tree in the early hours of December 8, 2012.

Mother-of-two Miss Jennings, of Aldridge Close, Wordsley, was pronounced dead at the scene - near the Island Pool pub.

Whitehouse was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court today (Friday).

QC Patrick Thomas agreed with the defence that a custodial sentence shouldn’t be imposed immediately due to what he described as “powerful personal mitigation” and gave Whitehouse a four month prison sentenced, suspended for 12 months.

Whitehouse was also banned from driving for 18 months.