A man has been jailed for causing the death of his girlfriend after claiming she had been struck in a hit-and-run.
Matthew DuPlessis was sentenced to nine years and three months after admitting causing death by careless driving while unfit through drugs and to perverting the course of justice.
Neighbours heard the 35-year-old and his girlfriend, Charlotte Dodd, also 35, arguing at her home on September 23, 2023, Chester Crown Court heard.
At 1.30am the next day the couple left in his van. Ms Dodd later fell from the moving vehicle and was fatally injured as she hit the road in Congleton, Cheshire, police said.
A passerby stopped his car when he saw her in the road with DuPlessis sat on a grass verge behind her.
DuPlessis, from Crewe, insisted he and his girlfriend were out walking after a drinking session and a dark-coloured vehicle had struck her and fled.
However, a police officer recognised DuPlessis’s name and knew he drove a white van similar to one parked at the scene.
In 2024, the defendant admitted driving with excess cocaine and was banned for three years. But the investigation into Ms Dodd’s death continued.
Matthew DuPlessis who has been jailed for causing the death of his girlfriend after initially lying and saying she had been struck in a hit and run
DuPlessis admitted to police that she had repeatedly threatened to jump out of the vehicle, but did not.
He refused to say how she came to leave the van, police said, but CCTV along Padgbury Lane showed the driver door shut with an interior light on, indicating that the passenger door was open.
DuPlessis told police Ms Dodd had opened the passenger door as she wanted to get out, the force said.
The video showed the van continuing a further 195 metres at an average speed of 19mph.
Forensic analysis found the van was over the centre line of the carriageway as the defendant went to turn left into Arnside Avenue and Ms Dodd left the vehicle at that junction.
Following sentencing Ms Dodd’s family said in a statement that they had ‘quietly lived through the turmoil, the uncertainty and the heartbreak surrounding the circumstances of Charlotte’s death’.
‘We have each carried an indescribable pain of losing our daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and friend, whilst also watching her two young girls try to come to terms with losing their mummy,’ they said.
‘It has taken so long to reach a Crown Court sentence hearing,’ the statement continued.
‘Due to the lies and deception by one person from the very beginning, thereby perverting the course of justice, we still do not know the full truth of what really happened to Charlotte.
‘There are no witnesses. There are some questions that remain unanswered, and we will have to live with those questions for the rest of our lives.
‘Justice has now been served, yet we do not believe this reflects the enormity of what has been lost and the devastation that Charlotte’s death has caused.
‘Charlotte has not been able to live her best life because one person has senselessly taken that life away, stolen her future.
‘For us, no custodial sentence or punishment will ever be enough.’
It is not known how Charlotte Dodd, 35, died, but her family said no punishment for DuPlessis ‘will ever be enough’
DCI Dave Hutcheon, of the major investigation team, said: ‘DuPlessis told multiple witnesses at the scene including his own parents, members of the public, paramedics and police at the scene that he and Charlotte were walking along Padgbury Lane having been out drinking and that Charlotte was dancing in the carriageway.’
The officer said DuPlessis had told people that a dark coloured vehicle had struck his girlfriend and fled the scene while he had his back turned.
He added: ‘We launched a fail to stop investigation at the scene, and the defendant was treated as a witness and later allowed to leave with his parents.
‘It hasn’t been determined how Charlotte came to leave the van.
‘The defendant overshot the junction causing him to perform an emergency stop.
‘He then reversed and parked his van on Arnside Avenue and went to Charlotte.
‘He then concocted his story to cover up that he was responsible for her death.
‘His lies were caught out by the roads policing officer and the detailed forensic analysis of his movements led to him having no option but to plead guilty.’
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