Range Rover driver is caught downing 11 pints of cider and Baby Guinness on pub crawl with buddies earlier than killing teenager biker in horror crash
CCTV shows a Range Rover driver necking 11 pints of cider and a Baby Guinness during a pub crawl with pals – before he killed a teenage biker in a horror crash later that night.
Danny Francis, 29, had been drinking all afternoon with his friends in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and into the night of September 30, 2023.
A court heard how he ferried his mates between nine pubs in his five-seater Range Rover Sport – with as many as seven passengers crammed inside while under the influence of alcohol.
When Francis arrived at each pub he continued to drink more, with one receipt showing he spent £40 on shots and £21 on a round of drinks.
Footage captured Francis and his friends piling out of the Red Lion pub and cramming into his vehicle, with one even seen climbing into the boot.
Around 45 minutes later, at midnight, Francis lost control of his vehicle trying to negotiate a large pool of water on the A458 Welshpool Road and strayed onto the wrong side of the road.
He collided head on with two motorcycles being ridden by Benjamin Worrall, 17, and his friend Nathan Fountain, before his vehicle ended up in a hedge.
Members of the public attempted to give first aid to the injured bikers but Benjamin was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pictured: Danny Francis, 29, who pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving, was jailed for seven years
Pictured: Ben Worrall, 17, who was killed when Francis’ Land Rover strayed onto the wrong side of the road and hit him and his friend
Francis’ Land Rover after the accident that took place in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, on September 30, 2023
Nathan suffered life-changing injuries, which resulted in him having a leg amputated, and was taken to hospital where he remained in a coma for 11 days.
Francis meanwhile fled the scene before calling his girlfriend asking to be picked up from a nearby field.
Police found him at his girlfriend’s home in Knockin, Shropshire, by officers at 6am the same day and he was arrested.
Due to him being arrested almost seven hours after the incident, a forensic toxicologist was employed to calculate Francis’ expected breath-alcohol level at the time of the collision.
The toxicologist reported that the range of expected breath-alcohol concentrations was between 53 micrograms and 111 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.
Francis pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for seven years at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday.
He was also banned from driving for 11 years and eight months and must take an extended re-test to regain his licence.
Sentencing, Judge Trevor Meegan said Francis’s actions by running away and not helping his injured victims had been ‘shameful’.
Francis (pictured on CCTV) had been drinking all afternoon with his friends at nine pubs, ferrying them to each one
One receipt at the pub showed Francis spent £40 on shots and £21 on a round of drinks
The scene of the crash where Ben and his friend Nathan, who was left in a coma and had his leg amputated, were hit by Francis’ Land Rover
He said: ‘You did not stop to help, instead you and your passengers fled the scene, leaving the Range Rover behind.
‘I do not doubt you were concerned about being caught over the drink drive limit – that was on any assessment shameful conduct.
‘A man with courage and a man with moral fibre would have stopped.’
Caroline Harris, prosecuting, told the court that police were alerted to a crash on the A458 at Rowton at around 12.02am.
Ben, from Pontesbury, Shropshire, and Nathan had been riding back from a meal in Newtown with friends when they were hit.
Body-cam footage captured an off-duty police officer helping to save Nathan’s life as he lay injured and screaming in agony.
Ms Harris said that a friend who had been riding with them had noticed the pair were no longer behind him, and turned round to find them.
The court heard he was met with a catastrophic scene and was advised not to go and see Ben, who had had suffered ‘terrible facial injuries’ in the crash.
Ben’s mother said he had been saving to buy an engagement ring to propose to his girlfriend
Francis lost control of his vehicle (pictured left) while trying to negotiate a large pool of water on the A458 Welshpool Road and went onto the wrong side of the road
When police knocked at the house of Francis’ girlfriend, she asked officers: ‘What the hell has he done?’
Ben’s father, Mark Worrall, read moving impact statements from Ben’s mother Vicky.
She told how Ben had been saving to buy an engagement ring to propose to his girlfriend.
She described her son as ‘fearlessly loyal’ and a man who was ‘loved by everyone’ with a ‘heart of gold’.
She said: ‘His 18th birthday which should have been a day of excitement has instead been spent lighting candles in his memory.
‘We will never get to see Ben grow into the man we know he could be.
‘There is not a single day that passes when we question whether we can continue living with the pain.
‘I should not feel rage when I think of Ben but I cannot get past the way he was taken from us and Mr Francis’s actions that night.
Francis ferried his friends between nine pubs in his five-seater Range Rover Sport (pictured on CCTV) – which as many as seven passengers crammed inside while under the influence of alcohol
CCTV captured Francis in pubs before the horror crash during his drinking session
‘It is said grief is love with nowhere to go. If that’s the case then our grief will never go, we simply endure it.’
The court also heard emotional statements from Nathan detailing the harrowing impact on the rest of his life, telling how his life has been ruined by Francis’s actions.
He had previously taken part in iron man competitions, would regularly go to the gym and even taught spin classes.
The court heard how he has been unable to work, and has had to rely on benefits – even cutting his own hair to save money.
Rob Edwards, defending, said he offered no excuse or justification for his actions and was remorseful for what he had done.
As Mr Edwards offered an apology on his behalf Francis could be seen wiping away tears in the dock.
Detective Constable Richard Owen, of West Mercia Police, said afterwards: ‘The actions of Francis that night was nothing short of selfish, resulting in a teenager losing his life, and a man suffering life changing injuries.
‘Not only was he driving under the influence of alcohol, but he was driving around passengers, knowing he should not have been behind the wheel.
‘Despite hearing the cries of those he’d injured following the collision, Francis cowardly chose to flee from the scene than face any consequences.’
DC Owen continued: ‘I would like to commend Ben’s family and friends, as well as Nathan, for their patience as we investigated this, and I hope today’s sentence is able to bring them some form of closure to move forward with their lives.
‘I hope this sentence sends a strong message to anyone who thinks it is okay to drink and drive, because it is not. Your actions can have a devastating impact on the lives of many others.
‘My advice is if you are out drinking, please plan how you’re getting home. Book a taxi or arrange a lift, it is never worth the risk driving under the influence of alcohol.’
In a tribute to Ben, his family said: ‘It wasn’t enough time with him – we should have had a lot more time with him with a lot more photos and videos and memories made.
‘He just wanted to help people and make people smile. He was just our Ben.’
