Drug driver jailed for nine years after girlfriend leapt from moving van in Congleton

Matthew DuPlessis, 35, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving and perverting the course of justice.

Drug driver jailed over death of girlfriend who jumped from moving van

Matthew DuPlessis, 35, of Crewe, Cheshire, has been sentenced to nine years and three months at Chester Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing the death of his girlfriend, Charlotte Dodd, and attempting to cover up his involvement, the Daily Express reports.

Ms Dodd, a mother of two, suffered fatal injuries after leaping from DuPlessis's moving van on Padgbury Lane in Congleton in the early hours of 24 September 2023. The couple had spent the previous day in Blackpool, but neighbours overheard them arguing once they returned home. They left Ms Dodd's address at 1.30am and continued to row while driving through Congleton before she jumped from the vehicle.

A passing driver found Ms Dodd lying in the carriageway, with DuPlessis sitting on a nearby grass verge. DuPlessis told the witness it had been a hit-and-run. The witness called 999 and performed CPR.

A fabricated account

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Hutcheon of Cheshire Police said DuPlessis gave a false account to those present at the scene, including his own parents, paramedics and officers. He claimed the couple had been walking along Padgbury Lane at the end of a night out, and that while his back was turned — going to urinate in a bush — a dark-coloured vehicle had struck Ms Dodd before driving off.

Police initially treated DuPlessis as a witness and allowed him to leave with his parents. A roads policing officer, however, recognised DuPlessis's name and his van, which remained parked nearby. DuPlessis was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and for failing a roadside drug test. In 2024, he pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of cocaine and received a three-year driving ban.

Forensics reconstruct the final moments

As the investigation continued, DuPlessis eventually admitted Ms Dodd had threatened several times to jump from the van, but he refused to clarify exactly how she came to leave the vehicle. Forensic analysis filled in the gaps.

Officers established that DuPlessis had been travelling at an average of 32mph along Padgbury Lane. Two CCTV cameras along the route showed the van with no interior light, but a third captured a light inside the vehicle — determined not to be from a mobile phone. That light indicated the passenger-side door was open. The van continued for a further 195 metres at approximately 19mph before stopping. Analysts pinpointed the precise location where Ms Dodd left the vehicle, though what occurred inside the van to prompt her to jump could not be determined.

DCI Hutcheon said that after Ms Dodd fell, DuPlessis reversed the van and went to her. "He then concocted his story to cover up that he was responsible for her death," Hutcheon said. "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."

Guilty plea and sentencing

DuPlessis pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while unfit through drugs and to perverting the course of justice. He was sentenced on Friday, 28 August, at Chester Crown Court.

Family statement

In a statement released after sentencing, Ms Dodd's family described a three-year ordeal that had permanently altered their lives. "Throughout this period, we have quietly lived through the turmoil, the uncertainty and the heartbreak surrounding the circumstances of Charlotte's death," they said. "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."

The family thanked Cheshire Police for their work but noted that DuPlessis's sustained deception meant they still did not know the full truth of what happened that night.

"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," the statement read. "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.

"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."

Source: Daily Express