Moment joyriding teen drove wrong way down motorway before killing three in horror crash
A teenage joyrider who drove a stolen van the wrong way down a motorway before killing three people in a head-on collision has been sentenced to six years behind bars.
Footage shown in court showed the teen being chased by police while accelerating up to 95mph in the stolen blue Ford Transit van on June 13 this year.
Taxi driver Sohail Ali, 28, and his passenger Simon McHugh, 49, were pronounced dead at the scene.
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Kyden Leadbeater, 18, who was in the van, died in hospital a day later.
A judge ruled that driver Jack Simpson, now 16, could now be named after reporting restrictions were lifted.
Simpson pleaded guilty to three counts of death by dangerous driving and one count of dangerous driving, and will spend three years in custody and three years on licence.
(Image: West Yorkshire Police / SWNS)
Mr McHugh’s mum spoke directly to Simpson in court, telling the teen: “’I lost my friend and confidant.
“He is a big loss in my life.
“He (Simpson) is only young, he has time to change. I hope he has a very happy life with children. My son doesn’t have a life anymore. Please use it, do some good with your life.”
The incident took place on June 13, just days before Simpson’s birthday, while he was on bail and a curfew for burglaries.
Just before 11pm, he was driving the van with two front seat passengers when he accelerated away from a police car.
(Image: West Yorkshire Police / SWNS)
He was doing 70mph in a 30 zone and went through a temporary red light at roadworks and at one point, even speeded up to 95mph, the court heard.
Sentencing Simpson, the Recorder of Bradford Judge Richard Mansell QC said: “Allowing you credit for a guilty plea the sentence on the three offences is one of six years concurrent on each.
“That is six years detention on the grounds that neither a sentence of detention and training, nor a youth rehabilitation order are appropriate disposals in this case.
“These sentences will be regarded by many as placing a wholly inadequate value on the lives of Mr Ali, Mr McHugh and Mr Leadbeater.”
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(Image: West Yorkshire Police / SWNS)
“They are not intended to place a value on their lives,” the judge added, “and the sentences are in truth the maximum sentences I could pass on you for such offences.
“You will serve half the period of six years in custody less time on remand to date and then will be released on licence.
“It means you will be just approaching 19 by the time you are released on licence.”
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