A HASLEMERE teenager was last week jailed for 15 months after killing his best friend in a fatal car crash in Hindhead on New Year's Day. Damien Cumber, 18, of Peperham Road, lost control of his car on the A287 Hindhead Road, in the early hours of January 1, and smashed into a tree, instantly killing his 16-year-old passenger Steven Sully. He had been drinking. After the crash, Cumber realised his friend was dead and attempted to kill himself by jumping in front of a car on the A3. Aircraft engineer Cumber was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court last Thursday after pleading guilty to causing death by driving without due care while under the influence of alcohol. The court was told at around 4am on January 1 this year, Cumber's silver Peugeot 206 had been travelling along the A287 Hindhead Road from Haslemere towards the A3 with Steven Sully sitting in the front passenger seat. Both Cumber and Sully had been celebrating the New Year with a group of friends at a private house party in Beacon Hill. Wendy Cottee, prosecuting, told the court the group had been drinking and some of them had been taking cocaine. At some point during the early hours of the morning of January 1 the party moved to the recreation grounds in Beacon Hill and Cumber decided to go for a drive in his car and Steven Sully went with him. The court was told witnesses had seen Cumber driving away from Beacon Hill in an aggressive manner and there were no further sightings of the car before the crash. Around 600 metres south of the Hindhead crossroads, the car, "for reasons no one can be sure about", went off the road and hit a tree. Ms Cottee said at the time of the crash "it was dark and the road surface was damp". The car was estimated to be travelling at between 53 and 61 miles per hour at the time of hitting the tree, and the speed limit on the road is 50 mph. After the crash Cumber, who was uninjured, got out of his car and ran to the Hindhead crossroads, where he jumped in front of a blue Citroen Xantia, driving down the A3 "intending to do himself harm". He was hit by the Citroen and was left lying in the road. After the collision the driver and passenger of the Citroen stopped and got out to find Cumber was still conscious and trying to stand up. As a result of this collision the police and ambulance services were called to the scene and only then did it become apparent that another vehicle had crashed. The passenger of the Citroen told police Cumber's breath "stank of alcohol". Cumber suffered a fractured ankle and elbow as a result of being hit by the Citroen and was arrested at the scene and then taken to hospital. A sample of Cumber's blood was taken around four hours after the crash which showed he was over the drink drive limit and traces of cocaine were also detected. But the court heard it was difficult to determine if the drugs had played any part in the crash as cocaine stays in the blood for around 18 hours after it is taken. Judge Michael Addison said Cumber must have taken the cocaine at some point within the 24 hours before the crash. During the police interview Cumber accepted he had been drinking and had lost control of the car. He told police he had seen his friend in the passenger seat and "wanted to end it all" and that was why he ran into the path of the car travelling on the A3. Stephen Parish, defending, told the court Cumber had been intending to spend the night in Beacon Hill but for some reason decided to go for a drive and took his best friend with him. Mr Parish told the court "quite clearly he (Cumber) was driving too fast" and went on to say there was "no doubt" Cumber's lack of experience of driving in poor conditions was a factor in his loss of control. Mr Parish told the court after the crash Cumber immediately knew his friend was dead and this caused him to launch himself into the path of the oncoming car . Mr Parish asked the court to bear in mind the blood sample was taken several hours after the crash but said he was not suggesting Cumber was only just over the drink drive limit. He also strongly denied suggestions Cumber had shown no remorse for his actions and said it was "difficult to express more remorse than trying to kill ones self". He said Cumber had written a letter to Steven Sully's parents but had never sent it to them as he felt it would be inappropriate. In the letter Cumber said he "just wanted the chance to explain himself", and told Mr and Mrs Sully he would feel "pain and guilt" for the rest of his life over the incident. Mr Parish urged Judge Addison to pass a short sentence and highlighted Cumber's age as a mitigating factor, along with his show of remorse and lack of driving experience. Judge Michael Addison said in his view Cumber had been "going too fast" but added although cocaine had been detected in his blood "no one can say for certain if it was taken that evening". He sentenced Cumber to 15 months in a young offenders' institution, disqualified him from driving for two years and said Cumber would have to take an extended driving test. Pc Andrew Silk, who investigated the collision, said: "The untimely death of Steven Sully once again highlights the all too often tragic and terrible consequences of combining drinking with driving. "While Damien Cumber has shown remorse for his terrible actions he will have to live with this on his conscience for the rest of his life." Pc Silk added: "I really hope this awful case will focus minds and make people think twice about the safety of others and themselves when they get into a vehicle and take to the road. "Always drive carefully with consideration for other motorists and never drive under the influence of drink." Waverley Neighbourhood Inspector Rob Harris said: "The loss of this young life was all the more tragic as it happened on New Year's Day. "The impact of the collision upon Haslemere's local community should not be underestimated. "We have spoken to so many of Steven's friends and, of course his family, whose lives have been ripped apart by his death. Our thoughts remain with them at this time." l See lead story on page 3 for a tribute to Steven Sully.