THE parents of a baby killed by a drunk driver have spoken of their relief after a judge rejected an appeal against her sentence.

15-month-old Finlay Woods died after being struck by a 4x4 driven by Katie Guiterrez-Perez outside Selwyn Primary School in Highams Park last September.

The boy’s parents, Tina and Roger Woods, praised the judge Lord Richard Justice Aikens for rejecting her appeal against a seven-year jail sentence for causing death by dangerous driving.

Speaking outside the court, the couple, a visibly elated Mr Woods said: “From the start we didn't think it would go in our favour from the minute her defence lawyer started his speech. So I am so chuffed and it is good to see some common sense.

“Seven years is not a bad sentence for what she did, so to appeal against it is disgusting. We think it shows she doesn't have any remorse.”

Guiterrez-Perez was said to have taken a cocktail of drink and drugs in a failed suicide attempt and was driving to hospital at the time of the crash.

Her barrister, Janick Fielding, said her punishment should be reviewed because no psychiatric report had been carried out before she was sentenced.

He also argued that the fact that it was her first offence, she was of previous good character, had pleaded guilty and showed remorse were not properly taken into account.

Mr Fielding said: “(Guiterrez) has suffered a great deal and continues to do so. There is no likelihood of her re-offending. Her remorse is genuine and on-going.”

But Mrs Woods said: “Lots of people have problems, but they don't get behind a wheel or a car after drinking and taking drugs.

“We have got a five-year-old who wants his brother home for Christmas. It is always going to be hard for the kids.

We constantly talk about Finlay but always feel him missing.”

Lord Justice Richard Aikens, who made the ruling alongside Justice Roderick Evans and the Recorder of Brighton & Hove, outlined the facts of the case.

It emerged that on the day of the offence a DVLA inspector had pleaded with Guiterrez-Perez not to get behind the wheel, which she ignored.

He said: “This is a case where the consequences of dangerous driving were terrible.

"No sentence will reflect the value of a life of a very young helpless victim that has been lost, nor make up for the devastation of the family of the deceased.

"But a sentence is not for revenge, but to provide proper punishment and to act as a deterrent.”

He continued: “We believe Judge King recognised the mitigating circumstances. When all the aggravating circumstances are taken into account and the mitigating circumstances - in particular that this was a first offence and an early guilty plea - we feel the sentence in this case is absolutely correct.”

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