A BELOVED mother-of-two was killed just weeks before Christmas after a delivery driver fell asleep at the wheel and caused a head-on crash.

Nicola Frost, 40, died after her Suzuki Ignis was struck by a Mercedes Sprinter van being driven by Piotr Bebacz on the A120 at Ramsey.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard Bebacz, 38, drank a coffee containing 14 teaspoons of sugar prior to the crash as he combatted his tiredness on December 11, 2021.

The delivery driver veered into oncoming traffic at 6.45am, striking a lorry before rebounding into the front of Mrs Frost’s car and killing her.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Beloved mother - Nicola FrostBeloved mother - Nicola Frost (Image: Essex Police)

The healthcare assistant’s husband, Michael, said his wife was “the rock of the family”, who lived in Ramsey.

He revealed Mrs Frost was on her way to work some overtime in Colchester which she had signed up for to fund Christmas presents for their two children.

Bebacz, of Kent Road, Huntingdon, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for three years and four months today (December 13).

Peter Clark, prosecuting, said father-of-four Bebacz admitted to the police he was already tired and had endured a series of “broken sleeps” before his shift.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Locked up - Piotr BebaczLocked up - Piotr Bebacz (Image: Essex Police)

Dashcam footage from his vehicle, played to the court, showed the defendant veer onto the wrong side of the road and straddle both lanes hours before the fatal collision.

Mr Clark said: “The danger was obvious and should have been obvious to anybody that it was a disaster waiting to happen.

“The dashcam footage shows he had the opportunities to pull over.”

Mrs Frost’s son, Richard, said in a victim impact statement that he has been left “feeling hollow” following his mother’s death.

Micaila Williams, mitigating, said Bebacz was working under pressure to support his family.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Fatal crash - police cars at the scene on the A120Fatal crash - police cars at the scene on the A120 (Image: Essex Police)

She added the incident has left him needing counselling and treatment for depression and anxiety.

Judge Christopher Williams lambasted him for taking “a conscious and deliberate decision to carry on driving when he know it was unsafe to do so”.

He said: “It is clear the defendant chose to ignore parking spaces available and continue on his journey.

“The sentence will never repair the broken hearts that have been spoken of.”

Bebacz was disqualified from driving for three years.