THE survivor of a triple fatal crash has spoken of her dismay after a couple that sold a written off car involved in the tragedy was spared jail.

Rebecca Learoyd, 18, died along with her best friend Megan Robinson, 19, along with 60-year-old Anne Peachey, following a high-speed collision with boy racer Jak Parker’s MG ZR in Shotton Colliery in east Durham.

It emerged during the ensuing investigation that Ralph Brown and Anne Stidwell had fraudulently sold the Fiat Punto driven by Rebecca – though it was stressed the car’s condition did not cause the tragic accident.

Mrs Peachey’s daughter Joanne, who was seriously injured in the crash on June 23 last year, spoke after the couple were given suspended prison sentences at Durham Crown Court after admitting fraud.

She said: “We are disappointed it was a suspended sentence. They are only sorry because they have been caught.”

Simon Reevell, prosecuting, said Brown and Stidwell ran a legitimate business buying damaged cars from insurance companies and restoring them and reselling them through their company website.

In 2012 they bought two Puntos that, under an agreement with the insurance company, should have been crushed after spare parts were removed, because they were written off.

Instead they were restored to a “poor quality” and given roadworthy certificates.

The couple fraudulently sold the Punto to Marjorie Learoyd pretending the car belonged to their daughter and was in mint condition. The car acquired by the couple for £1,366 was sold for £4,850.

Both Brown, 58, and Stidwell, 56, of Leasfield Drive, Meadowfield, were of previous good character.

Stidwell also admitted a second charge again relating to a Fiat Punto, sold to a woman in the south of the country for £5,350.

Carole Goodwin, mitigating, said the couple’s thoughts were with the families in involved.

Passing sentence Judge Christopher Prince said: “This was sophisticated offending by each of you.

“These people trusted you and believed you to be private sellers on behalf of your daughter.”

Sidwell was sentenced to ten months imprisonment and Brown to eight months, each suspended for two years.

They were each ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work and pay £1,100 in costs.

Parker, 24, of North Road, Wingate, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in jail in October.