A lorry driver who was over the drink drive limit and on a mobile when he crushed a Clapham cyclist has been jailed for seven years.

Dennis Putz, 51, from North London killed 39-year-old Catriona Patel, of Common Mile Close, Clapham, after he drove his lorry over her, just outside the Tube station on June 29, 2009.

Mrs Patel, a regular cyclist wearing a hi-visibility jacket and a helmet, was cycling her normal route to work on that Monday morning.

She stopped at a red light, in the cycle reservoir in front of a large green tipper lorry at 8.23am, at the junction of Kennington Park Road and Harleyford Street.

As the lights turned green, Mrs Patel pulled off, intending to go straight across the junction.

Putz, who was over the drink drive limit and was driving with one hand on the wheel while talking on his mobile phone, turned left.

The truck caught the rear wheel of Mrs Patel's bike, dragging her underneath the vehicle.

Witnesses watched in horror, as Putz failed to notice the cyclist caught underneath his lorry. Only when passers by began banging on the side of his vehicle did Putz finally stop.

She was given first aid at the scene by passers-by and taken by air ambulance to the Royal London Hospital, with multiple rib fractures and internal bleeding. She was taken straight into surgery but went into cardiac arrest. She was pronounced dead at 11:30am that morning.

The post mortem examination found she died from a ruptured spleen, fractured ribs, lung laceration and pelvic fractures.

Mrs Patel, who had been married for seven years, left behind her husband Anish.

Putz stated that the cyclist must have been in his blind spot, but the court heard that she had been in his view for at least 29 seconds before he moved off and began to turn left. She also remained in view throughout the turn until he was stopped by members of the public.

Putz, who was drink driving and on the phone was found guilty of death by dangerous driving, has now received a life time driving ban.

It was revealed during the trial that he had 20 previous disqualifications, three drink drive convictions and three previous convictions for reckless driving.

Detective Constable Tony Tobin, the senior investigating officer, said: "Our thoughts are with Catriona's husband and the rest of her family as they have to deal with her loss every day.

"Dennis Putz started driving a large tipper truck that day still 1.5 times the legal drink drive limit. He was also using a mobile telephone as he hit Catriona.

"The combination of the size of vehicle, drink and phone came together to produce such tragic consequences."

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Chalmers from the Road Death Investigation Unit, said: "Dennis Putz ignored the duty of care he had to other road users, which resulted in the tragic death of this young woman.

"The Met takes this sort of crime seriously and the Traffic department now has some of London's most experienced detectives investigating fatal road collisions.

"If someone dies on one of the capital's roads as a result of dangerous driving the investigation will be thorough, professional and relentless."