Killer driver's sentence slashed 'because he is French' The judge continued: "He did a U-turn in the dark in England and, for moments or minutes, forgot that he was not driving in France. The culpability of a British driver in the same circumstances would have been very high indeed. For somebody from France, the culpability must be reduced. Mr Crane, of Rolvenden, Kent was on his way home from work at 11.30pm on August 3 2012, when his Skoda Fabia was hit head-on by Fleury's grey Renault Laguna on the A28 near Tenterden. Mr Crane, described as "a very good man," suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The court heard how Fleury was on his way to visit his English girlfriend, Emily Crick, in Wadhurst, East Sussex, having travelled from France through the Eurotunnel, when the fatal crash occurred. He had been awake for 16 hours and had been driving for six and a half hours at the time. His lawyers argued that there was "no evidence" that he had been tired, however, having napped on the shuttle through the tunnel. Fleury was acquitted by a jury at Canterbury Crown Court of causing death by dangerous driving but convicted of causing death by careless driving in July and jailed for 18 months. Today Lord Justice Lloyd Jones, Mr Justice Irwin and Mr Justice Green halved that sentence to nine months. "A starting point of two years, before allowing discount for his guilty plea was too high," Mr Justice Irwin told the court. The starting point ought to have been 12 months, with the resulting sentence being one of nine months. We therefore reduce the sentence of 18 months to one of nine months and, to that extent, this appeal is allowed. Speaking at the time of his death last year, Mr Crane's widow Philonema recalled her husband as a "very friendly" and "sociable" man. It is such a shock ... I was worried about him because I was waiting for him to come home. I was calling his mobile but it kept coming up not available," she said at the time. Mr Justice Irwin expressed sympathy for Mr Crane's family, telling the court: "He was a very good and loving father to two daughters and a husband who looked after his disabled partner. They are all terribly distraught about their loss. It is clear that he was a good man and his death has caused great loss and pain. Fleury's lawyers said outside court that the cut in sentence means he will be released from jail at the beginning of next week.