Leonie crash driver avoids jail term (From This Is Wiltshire)

Leonie crash driver avoids jail term

3:24pm Friday 19th March 2010 in

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Motorist Jake Taylor, who left teenager Leonie Newbury fighting for her life after a horror smash, has walked free from court after the schoolgirl’s family said they didn’t want to see him jailed.

Taylor was told he was facing custody before Swindon Crown Court was informed of the wishes of the victim, who was 14 at the time of the accident.

Judge Charles Wade agreed saying Leonie and her family had been gracious in their attitude towards the 21-year-old.

The judge was about to embark on his sentencing remarks when Lynne Henderson, prosecuting, told him of their views after briefly consulting Leonie’s mum Tammy Raeburn.

She said “Leonie’s family have made it clear to me that they can see in the circumstances in this case there is little to be gained by the imposition of a custodial sentence.

“They made it clear to me before. In light of the mitigation it is only right I make it clear to the court.”

She had earlier told how Taylor was behind the wheel of his souped-up Ford Focus which smashed into a wall after he sped along a sodden road and twice the speed limit.

Leonie, her boyfriend and another lad were in the car being driven by Taylor and drove to Chippenham after spending time in Bristol on the evening of November 9, 2008.

At about 10pm another they met a friend in his car who told them to follow him to get some food.

But Taylor sped off out of the car park along Bath Road causing his passengers to tell him to slow down.

One of the boys could see the traction control light flashing on and off indicating the car was going too fast and roads which were soaked after heavy rain.

“The defendant’s response was ‘I will in a second’ but it was too late. The car slid out of control, spun in the roadway and came to rest against a stone wall,” Miss Henderson said.

The side of the car Leonie had been sitting in bore the brunt of the impact with the wall outside the hospital on Rowden Hill and it was clear she was seriously injured.

A passing ambulance car was flagged down and the youngster received immediate care before being cut free and taken to hospital.

Medics placed the Corsham schoolgirl in an induced coma before she spent three week on a life support machine and two months in hospital.

The teenager suffered a fractured skull, spinal injuries, fractured pelvis, collapsed lung and internal damage to vital organs.

As a result of the injuries she is now diabetic, has Addison’s disease which affects her adrenal gland’s production of hormones and scarring.

Miss Henderson said though she doesn’t suffer flashbacks of the crash she does of her time in hospital.

Although she returned to school in a wheelchair a year ago she was still only going part time and having to be educated at home as well.

When he was questioned by the police the defendant said he felt he had skidded on some leaves and insisted he was only going at about 50mph.

Taylor, of Shaw Hill, Melksham, initially denied dangerous driving but changed his plea to guilty before a jury could be sworn on what was to be the first day of a trial.

Brendan Moorhouse, defending, told the judge prosecutors had been informed in advance that his client would change his plea so witnesses need not attend.

He said he admitted guilt on the basis he had not exceeded 60mph before the crash, which was supported by accident investigations.

Since the accident he said his client had suffered greatly from the feeling of what had happened to Leonie as a consequence of his driving and was very upset reading the teenager’s victim impact statement outlining her injuries.

What happened on the day of the accident was a one off uncharacteristic piece of driving, he told the court.

“He accepts what happened on that day was pure stupidity. I ask you to consider it was out of character for him,” he said.

Passing sentence the judge said: “You were showing off to friends near the hospital when you lost it effectively on the bend with catastrophic results for Leonie Newbury.

“I can well realise your distress at reading her statement to the court. The consequences were catastrophic.

“Until a few moments ago I was minded to say that this offence was so serious to say only immediate custody could be passed."