A grieving family has been left furious after their daughter’s killer who served just 20 months under Sir Keir Starmer‘s early release scheme has reoffended.
Jess Waterman died in hospital just three days before her 21st birthday after her boyfriend Nathan Towers crashed his Mini in Epping, Essex on February 19, 2022.
After crashing his car, Towers, who was an unlicensed and uninsured driver, fled the scene and left gravely injured Jess behind. She died less than 24 hours later.
In 2023, he was jailed for four years and three months after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, perverting the course of justice and fraud.
But under Labour’s early release scheme, introduced in September 2024, sees inmates serving just 40 percent of their sentences in a bid to tackle prison overcrowding.
And after his early release thanks to the scheme, Jess’s killer is behind bars yet again after being caught speeding while ‘on licence’.
Towers pleaded driving while disqualified on the A127 and Denton Approach and was sentenced to six months behind bars at Chelmsford Magistrates on March 5.
He was also disqualified from driving for six months and 21 days and was ordered to pay £85 costs as well as a £154 victim surcharge.
Of Towers, Jess’s family said: ‘He has demonstrated that no lessons have been learned after taking the life of our precious daughter and after behaving in such an abhorrent way.’
Jess Waterman (picutred) died just days before her 21st birthday after her boyfriend Nathan Towers crashed his mini on February 19, 2022
Towers, then 32, fled the scene and dialed 999 leaving a gravely injured Jess. She died just 24 hours later
They pointed out that Towers had served just 20 months behind bars before he was released in February 2025 as part of Labour’s Early Release Scheme.
‘He was to serve the rest of his sentence ‘on licence’ out into the community until August 2027. But last week he was caught speeding and recalled to prison.
‘Nathan Towers has never sat a driving test nor even passed his theory test.. We class him as highly dangerous to have ever got behind a wheel.
‘He has no regard for other road users; he clearly believes that he is entitled to drive and thus completely above the law.’
In 2023, the court heard how Towers dialled 999 following the collision in Houblins, Hill, Epping.
On the night of the crash, police traced Towers to his homes Broadoaks, Epping, where a washing machine was running a cycle of muddy clothes at 1.30am.
Following his arrest, his mobile phone was found hidden between the slats of his bed, with police later discovering the number matched the one used to call them.
Towers had also told officers that he had bought his car a few days before the incident, but that a friend was driving that evening.
However, doorbell footage showed him arriving to pick Ms Waterman up earlier in the evening and the red Mini could be seen in the background.
He was wearing the clothes which were later found in his washing machine.
Since, Jess’s family have been tirelessly campaigning for tougher punishments against unlicensed driving with the backing of their local MP, Josh Dean.
‘We believe unlicensed driving needs to be seen as dangerous driving in its own right and are lobbying for it to be recognised in the same category as drink- and drug-driving,’ they added.
‘Driving is widely considered one of the most dangerous daily activities, primarily due to the high-speed operation of heavy machinery, human error and the unpredictability of other drivers.
‘Therefore, passing a driving test ensures you have developed the necessary safety, competence and mental stamina to handle the road alone.
Towers (pictured) served just 20 months of his prison sentence under Sir Keir’s Early Release Scheme. He has since been jailed after committing further motoring offences
‘It serves as a final check to ensure you are not a danger to yourself or others.
‘The current deterrents for first offending without a licence are points on a licence and disqualification.
‘This makes little difference to somebody who has no full licence in the first place.
‘We believe in the introduction of stronger and more proportionate penalties for unlicensed driving.’
They vowed: ‘Our Jess will never be just another statistic, nor will all the other individuals who have been fatally injured on the roads.
‘They were one of you, they were living their lives normally, until one day that came to an abrupt end.
They added: ‘We must improve the safety on our roads, now and in the future.’
Mr Dean, the Labour MP for Hertford and Stortford, said: ‘This case demonstrates the need for tougher penalties to keep those who cause death while driving without a licence off the road.’
Echoing his full support of the family’s campaign, he added that he had introduced them to the minister for sentencing, Jake Richards.
He also requested for the family to meet with the transport minister while the Government consults on the process of penalties for motoring offences as part of the Road Safety Strategy.
