'Adam was my ray of sunshine... your selfishness killed him'

A grieving dad has described wearing a 'brave face' which 'masks reality' after his son was killed by a drink driver. Paul Whitfield was so drunk he did not realise he had ploughed his Mazda into Adam Cunliffe, a 21-year-old animal technician at the University of Manchester.

His body was dragged underneath the car for a kilometre following the collision - horrifying onlookers. Whitfield has now been jailed for causing Mr Cunliffe's death.

He had tripped and falling into the road, before Whitfield drove into him, the Liverpool Echo reports. Mr Cunliffe's dad told Liverpool Crown Court how he 'lived and breathed' for his son - who was cruelly snatched away by Whitfield's 'selfishness'.

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In his victim impact statement read to the court by prosecutor Michael Pickavance, Alan Cunliffe said: "I lived and breathed for Adam's existence - he was my only child. My ray of sunshine."

The statement was read to Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, August 6, as Whitfield was sentenced to seven years and four months for causing the death of his son. Alan Cunliffe said he and his son had shared interests in playing table tennis and pool, and enjoyed trips to the Lake District and holidays to Portugal.

He added: "The image of him lying in his coffin with his injuries will never leave my mind. When people see me they see me putting on a brave face. I'm determined to not be a victim. But these are empty words and the lies mask the true reality."

Mr Cunliffe said his son's death had forced him away from Haydock, in St Helens, because he 'felt suffocated'. Addressing Whitfield, he added: "Your selfishness killed my son."

The court also heard from Liam Conway, Mr