A MAN who admitted killing four people whilst he was drunk and on cocaine has been slammed as 'absolutely irresponsible' by police chiefs.

Driver Liam Cunliffe, 30, of Manor Way, Crewe, pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court on Friday to four counts of causing death by dangerous driving after an accident on the A530 Middlewich Road, Wistaston, on September 11.

He was found to be twice over the legal drink-drive limit and high on cocaine when he swerved across to the wrong side of the road on a bend. His Audi A3 car hit an on-coming Mercedes car at 90mph.

Superintendent Richard Strachan said all road users should take heed of the carnage caused by Cunliffe's actions, and always steer well clear of driving under the influence.

Speaking at the scene of the smash outside the Rising Sun pub, Supt Strachan said: 'It is hard to imagine a worse example of someone being in charge of a vehicle when they are in no fit state to be driving.

'This incident has grabbed the headlines because it is particularly tragic, but the carnage is being repeated day after day.

'The numbers who do drink, take drugs and speed are small, but it is absolutely unacceptable and we have a duty to do everything we can to stop it.

'What I would say to those people who act in this rumble-responsible manner is they are taking a huge risk, not just of getting caught, but, as this case highlights, with other people's lives as well.'

A clampdown on road-driving over Christmas saw 4,000 drivers stopped and breathalysed in South Cheshire.

Supt Strachan welcomed the recent introduction of a 40mph speed limit and rumble strips past the notorious Wistaston Green Road and Middlewich Road junction where Cunliffe lost control.

He said: 'We have done a lot of work with the county council to try and make this road in particular safer. But if you talk to people around here, they will tell you people are still speeding.

'At the end of the day, we can only do so much, it is up to motorists to behave in the correct way.

'We can only hope that cases such as this help get the message about driving while intoxicated across.

'Drinking, taking drugs and speeding was a lethal cocktail which resulted in four innocent people being killed.

'Cunliffe will have to carry that heavy burden for the rest of his life.'

Grieving mum asks 'Why?'

THE mother of one of the victims of September's Middlewich Road crash has called for Liam Cunliffe to explain his actions.

Speaking after Cunliffe admitted killing four people by dangerous driving, Audrey Roberts, 47, of Bleasedale Avenue, Crewe, said she still finds it hard to come to terms with the circumstances of her son Lee's death.

Lee, 21, a worker for Adeccoat Bentley Motors,was a passenger in Cunliffe's Audi A3 when it veered on to the wrong side of the road at 90mph by the Wistaston Green Road junction, smashing into an on-coming Mercedes.

Fellow passenger Darren Wilson, 34, a welder and father-of-four from Crewe, also died, along with retired couple Franz and Janice Beran, former landlords at the Nag's Head, Willaston, travelling in the Mercedes.

Mrs Roberts has had 'sleepless nights' over facing Cunliffe in court, and feels his guilty pleas have left questions unanswered. She said: 'I know that if Lee had known Liam Cunliffe had taken cocaine he wouldn't have got in the car with him.

'As a family we would just like him to say something about why he thought he was okay to drive and why they didn't get a taxi as planned.

'I'm not looking for an apology because I know that will not change anything, but he has never even tried to give an explanation of himself.'

Mrs Roberts added she had no thoughts about the length of sentence Cunliffe deserved, but wanted him banned from driving for life so he could never do the same thing again.

The Roberts' have joined forces with the families of the other victims to speak out against driving under the influence of drink and drugs.

A statement prepared on their behalf, including Darren Wilson's widow Kerry, 26, and Emma Jones, 29, the Beran's daughter, urged other road users not to make the same fatal mistake.

It said: 'The tragic consequences of drink-driving have long been known, but wewould like people to know that taking drugs, no matter how small an amount, can have a lethal effect on judgement.

'Perhaps if Liam Cunliffe hadn't taken this lethal mixture of alcohol and drugs and driven so dangerously, Franz, Janice, Lee and Darren would all still be alive.'