Mums of Corey Mavin and Connor Lapworth want tougher sentences

Corey Mavin, 15, and Connor Lapworth, 18, were killed in a crash on December 22, 2023 at the top of Hartford Bank near Cramlington, Northumberland that also left two others seriously injured.

The teens, from Blyth, Northumberland were back-seat passengers in a Suzuki Vitara being driven by 41-year-old Garry Robinson, who last month admitted causing their deaths at Newcastle Crown Court.

While a judge warned Robinson he would face a “lengthy” jail term, his victims’ families fear he’ll walk free in less than ten years while they’ll never get their children back.

Connor Lapworth, 18. (Image: FAMILY)

Lisa Mavin, Corey’s mam, and Connor’s mam Jenna Lapworth believe causing death by dangerous driving should be considered the same as manslaughter or murder.

Lisa said: “No punishment is ever going to bring the boys back. We would give anything for this not to have happened and for the boys to still be here.

“If you are a driver and drive under the influence, speed, drive negligently and it costs someone their life, it should be at the very least manslaughter or even murder.

“They changed the sentencing rules to mean life, but that could be just 14 or 15 years, or even less. He might be out in less than 10 years.”

Corey Mavin. (Image: FAMILY)

Corey was a pupil at Bede Academy in Blyth and Connor had welcomed his little boy Arlo into the world just six months before the crash.

Lisa, who has three other children, said their family were in too much pain to celebrate Christmas last year and don’t plan on celebrating this year either.

Connor Lapworth with baby Arlo. (Image: FAMILY)

“It was too painful. I’ve still got his stocking up.

“My youngest celebrated with my niece.

“Corey had gone down a really bad path, but he had started coming back to us. He’d started going to school and football again and was getting back on track.

The scene of the crash on Hartford Bank, between Cramlington and Plessey. (Image: North News)

“Connor will never get to see his son grow up.”

New sentencing guidelines updated last June increased the maximum term for causing death by dangerous driving from 14 years to life, but range anywhere from two to 18 years depending on other factors.

A minister said recently it was too soon to assess the impact of the changes and the most up to date justice stats only go up to June when the guidelines were updated.

Robinson will be sentenced on May 2, meaning the family have less than two months to get their petition recognised.

Lisa added: “We want as many people as possible to sign. We’ve not got long to get the signatures we need.”

Recommended reading:

• See inside new Popeyes restaurant opening at County Durham retail park TOMORROW
• FA investigate as disabled man claims he was heckled with shocking abuse by player
• Murder accused mother too unwell to give evidence on Tuesday, jurors told

Get more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. Get access for 4 months for just £4, or get 40% off an annual subscription with our latest offer. Click here.

Their campaign is being supported by the families of Teegan Waters, Bethany Fisher, George Fisher who all died because of dangerous drivers.

Teegan, 20, died on the A189 Spine Road near Blyth in August 2022. Declan Stubbs, who was driving the car she was in, was sentenced to nine years and eight months behind bars. Police calculated he reached 146mph when he lost control of the car.

Bethany Fisher was celebrating turning 19 when driver Jordan O’Donnell did a dangerous overtake outside her home in Bedlington, Northumberland on August 19, 2017. He was sentenced to six years in jail that October, but only served half his sentence before being released on licence.

And George Fisher from Blyth was killed aged 22 in 2001. Mark Featherstone, 20, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to 10 years in jail after a judge accepted a 9,000-name petition urging him to pass the maximum sentence.