Men jailed for A61 double death crash at Busby Stoop, Thirsk

Luke Ridley was jailed for 11 years and William Corser locked up for 16 months at Teesside Crown Court today.

Ridley was banned from driving for 11-and-half-years and Corser for three years.

The pair had pleaded guilty at the start of the trial into the death of two 17-year-olds in a collision last year.

George Thomas Turner, from Sowerby, and Mason Pearson, from Thirsk, died after the Volkswagen Bora that they were travelling in collided with a Ford Focus on March 7, 2018 on the A61 between Busby Stoop and Carlton Miniott, in North Yorkshire.

George Thomas Turner and Mason Pearson who died in a crash on the A61

Another two passengers in the Bora, an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, were taken to hospital in a critical condition and later discharged.

The driver and passengers of the Ford Focus, a 27-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman from outside the area were discharged from hospital following treatment. Their three-year-old daughter and a six-month old son were kept in hospital for observation before being discharged.

The driver of the Bora, 24 year-old Ridley from Thirsk, had originally pleaded not guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and five counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Eighteen-year-old Corser, also of Thirsk, the driver of a third vehicle that was not involved in the collision, but driving in company with the Bora, also pleaded not guilty to one count of dangerous driving on the same date.

Both men changed their pleas to guilty on all counts at the start of the scheduled trial at Teesside Crown Court last month.

North Yorkshire Police said: "The investigation team reviewed hours of CCTV and dash-cam footage and carried out a police reconstruction of the journey in the Vauxhall Corsa to pull together a picture of the movements that night.

"A group had gathered in Millgate Carpark in the centre of Thirsk with three cars amongst them - Mr Ridley’s VW Bora, Mr Corser’s Vauxhall Corsa and a Ford Fiesta.

"CCTV and dash-cam footage obtained show the three cars left the carpark about 9.18pm in convoy, with the Corsa leading the way throughout the journey, followed in close proximity by the Bora and the Fiesta at the back.

"The footage also showed an ever-increasing gap with the Fiesta, which had an RAC black box to monitor the speed limit and driving standard for insurance purposes, and was some distance out of sight by the time the collision occurred.

"Data obtained from the Fiesta indicated that it had kept to the speed limit.

"Following a vehicle examination, Mr Ridley’s car was also found to be in a dangerous condition. The judge said Ridley knew “full well” it was in a dangerous state.

North Yorkshire Police has now released the dash-cam and CCTV footage which shows evidence of the Bora and Corsa racing and driving competitively at speed and the Ford Fiesta dropping further back each time.

Following sentencing, senior investigating officer, Road Policing Strategic Development Inspector Jeremy Bartley of North Yorkshire Police, thanked the members of public, motorists and local businesses who supplied officers with CCTV evidence, dash-cam footage and witness statements that helped build the case.

He said: "The dangerous driving by both Ridley and Corser has cost the lives of two young men and devastated their families in the space of a few seconds.

"Thanks to the number of witnesses that came forward, and the support from both residents and businesses in the area, we were able secure a mountain of evidence.

"We reviewed hours of CCTV and dash-cam footage and painstakingly built up a picture of exactly what happened that night, despite the initial claims of those involved denying any wrongdoing which extended the heartache of the families and victims even further.

"I hope the sentence handed down by the court sends a stark warning to anyone who takes irresponsible and dangerous risks on the roads, either by their actions or due to the dangerous condition of their vehicle – it is simply not worth it.

"Although both Ridley and Corser now have to face up to their actions and justice has been delivered for George and Mason, no sentence can compensate for the loss of their young lives, and the distress caused to their heartbroken families and friends."