A HEARTBROKEN mother has warned of the perils of dangerous driving after the boy racer who caused the death of her daughter and two other women was jailed for 12-and-a-half-years.

Best friends Rebecca Learoyd, 18, and Megan Robinson, 19, and much-loved grandmother Anne Peachey, 60, were killed in a head-on collision near Shotton Colliery, County Durham, last June.

Today (Wednesday, October 1), Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC said the reckless actions of Jak Parker, 24, to encourage Miss Learoyd to engage in a high-speed road race were largely responsible.

“You drove too close to the car in front and encouraged her to drive faster,” he said. “You were effectively egging her on.”

Teesside Crown Court heard Parker’s high-performance MG ZR and Miss Learoyd’s Fiat 500 reached speeds in excess of 70mph in a 30 limit shortly before the collision on the evening of Sunday, June 23, last year.

Less than a fortnight earlier, on Saturday, June 8, Parker engaged in a late night road race with Roy Morrison, 20, in Wheatley Hill.

The Northern Echo:
The scene of the crash between the Citroen Xsara and Fiat 500, caused by Jak Parker

The Northern Echo:
The high-performance MG ZR driven by Jak Parker

Morrison’s Ford Transit hit a female pedestrian, shattering her right knee.

Parker, of North Road, East Winning, pleaded guilty to three charges of causing death by dangerous driving and a further charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Morrison, of Drum Lane Caravan Site, Chester-le-Street, denied causing serious injury by dangerous driving but was convicted of the offence following a three-day trial last month.

Robin Turton, prosecuting, said witnesses had seen Parker’s car fishtailing as it drove at speed through Shotton Colliery prior to the triple-death crash.

He caught up with the Fiat on Bridge Road and remained on its tail as Miss Learoyd and her passenger Miss Robinson, both from Thornley, headed on to Front Street.

CCTV and a black box recorder in the Fiat showed the cars travelled at speeds over twice the legal limit, with Parker narrowly avoiding another vehicle when he overtook the Fiat.

Soon after Miss Learoyd lost control of the vehicle and collided with a Citroen Xsara, driven by Mrs Peachey, who was travelling home to Sherburn Hill with two family members.

Mrs Peachey died on arrival at hospital, Miss Learoyd was pronounced dead at the scene and Miss Robinson died at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle two days later.

Miss Robinson’s mother, Jacqueline Robinson said: “We are so angry and sad and we don’t want this hurt to be in vain.

“We allowed her friends to see her in intensive care to stop them ever driving like this so other families don’t have to suffer the pain.”

In statements read out in court, Miss Learoyd’s father, John Learoyd said: “Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Rebecca.

“We won’t be able to celebrate any milestones in her life – birthdays, weddings, grandchildren.”

Mrs Peachey’s husband, Joseph Peachey, paid tribute to his wife’s “beautiful nature.” 

Their daughter, Joanne, who suffered a broken wrist, in the crash, added: “I will never get to see her smile, hear her infectious laugh or have a cuddle.”

Parker’s solicitor, Stephen Constantine, highlighted the fact his client, who has no previous convictions, had completed the overtaking manoeuvre and was not directly involved in the accident.

He conceded Parker’s actions had led to the high speeds involved and expressed the boy racer’s remorse at what had occurred.

Parker was jailed for 12-and-a-half-years and was banned from driving for ten years.

Morrison, a gardener with no previous convictions, was jailed for three-and-a-half years and was disqualified from driving for five years.