Man jailed after admitting causing the death of his girlfriend

A 35-year-old man has been jailed after admitting causing the death of his girlfriend in Congleton.

Matthew DuPlessis from Richard Darrock Way in Crewe appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday 28 August to be sentenced after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving whilst unfit through drugs and to perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing.

He was jailed for nine years and three months.

On 23 September 2023 DuPlessis and his girlfriend Charlotte Dodd (35) had been to Blackpool during the day but on their return, neighbours heard them arguing later that night.

At 1:30am they left Charlotte’s address together and drove around the Congleton area in DuPlessis’ van as they continued to argue.

It was then, on Padgbury Lane that Charlotte left the van as it was still moving. Charlotte struck the carriageway and was fatally injured.

A man driving along Padgbury Lane stopped his car when he saw Charlotte lying in the road with DuPlessis sat on the grass verge behind her. DuPlessis told him it was a hit and run. The witness immediately called 999 and commenced CPR. 

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.

“He told that that when his back was turned to wee in a bush a dark coloured vehicle struck Charlotte and fled the scene.

“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.”

However, an officer from the Roads and Crime Serious Collision Unit attended the scene to investigate and recognised the defendants name and that he drove a small white van like the one parked at the scene.

Enquiries led the officer to confirm the van was registered to DuPlessis and officers attended his address to arrest him on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. The defendant was further arrested for failing the roadside drug screening test.

DuPlessis pleaded guilty in 2024 to driving with excess cocaine in his body in relation to the incident and was handed a three-year driving disqualification and associated costs.

Meanwhile the investigation into Charlotte’s death continued to try to get to the truth. In police interview, he had admitted that near to Congleton High School, Charlotte threatened to jump out of his vehicle, so he stopped the vehicle, but she didn’t jump out, so he drove on. She threatened to jump out a further four to five times. 

Duplessis refused to say how she came to leave the van that night, but a detailed forensic investigation pieced together events despite this.

Calculations of his speed from Congleton High School and along Padgbury Lane gave an average speed of 32 mph.

Along Padgbury Lane CCTV captured the vehicle passing. The first cameras showed the vehicle interior was in darkness. However, on passing the third camera, the interior is illuminated by a downward light (as opposed to a mobile phone's upward light), indicating that the interior light was in operation.

CCTV showed that the driver side door was not open, but the interior light indicated that the passenger side door was open. In interview the defendant admitted that Charlotte had opened the passenger side as she wanted to get out. The van continued a further 195 metres at an average speed of 19 mph.

Forensic analysis showed that the van was over the centre line of the carriage way when the defendant went to turn left into Arnside Avenue. It was at the junction of Padgbury lane and Arnside Avenue that Charotte left the vehicle.

DCI Dave Hutcheon added:

“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.

“His actions tragically led to Charlotte’s death and changed her family’s life forever. Our hearts go out to them as they navigate the rest of their lives trying to cope with the devastating loss of someone they loved very much.”

Following sentencing Charlotte’s family said:

“Today marks the end of a three-year journey through a police investigation and legal process that has changed our family lives forever.

“Throughout this period, we have 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.

“We would like to thank everyone who has worked on and contributed to the police investigation.

“We admire the determination and the tireless efforts made to consider every possibility and to get to the truth, in a very difficult case.

“We would also like to thank our family and friends for the comfort and support they have provided. You need to know it made a difference.

“It has taken so long to reach a Crown Court sentence hearing.

“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 way, stolen her future. For us, no custodial sentence or punishment will ever be enough.

“Charlotte was deeply loved, is deeply loved and she always will be. She was the light of our lives.

“She was independent, smart, and creative. She always chose to see the best in people and would encourage everyone to be the best version of themselves every day.

“Her life was so much more than the circumstances of her death, and she will never be forgotten.

“We now ask for privacy as our family begins to process the end of this chapter and we try to find a way to rebuild our lives without Charlotte.”