A drug dealer has been jailed for causing the deaths of three men in a high-speed car chase after they sold him popcorn instead of cannabis.
Robbie Cook was in his Range Rover Sport when he followed the men in their Citroen Berlingo through residential streets in Eastbourne, East Sussex, on February 13, 2023.
The trio crashed into a tree at a park entrance at more than 50mph and Cook left the three men to die after searching their car for drugs and money.
He fled the scene and married his fiancee on Valentine’s Day the next morning.
Lewes Crown Court heard Cook, of Croxden Way, told police despite noticing signs of life in the car, he failed to dial 999.
Cook, 39, admitted causing death by dangerous driving of Daniel Davies, 21, Jonny Day, 32, and Jon ‘Tommy’ Miller, 36, who were all from Berkshire, and perverting the course of justice by later destroying his phone.
Crash investigators said it would have been obvious there was very serious or fatal injuries to all three men.
Emergency services were called more than half an hour later after Cook arranged a friend to make up a story for police.
Robbie Cook, 39, of Croxden Way, Eastbourne, was sentenced to 18 years in prison at Lewes Crown Court after he chased three men, who sold him popcorn instead of cannabis
Jonny Day lost control of his car after hitting the bumps at speed causing him to to hit a large tree
Mandy Davies, the mother of Daniel Davies (pictured) told the court she was an ’emotional wreck’
Jon ‘Tommy’ Miller’s (pictured) family described him as a ‘true hero’ who saved his sister’s life three years ago by donating one of his kidneys to he
The court heard Cook, of Eastbourne, was angry once he realised he was duped in the drug deal worth £3,500 and was ‘determined’ to recover his cash.
The public gallery at the court was packed with the three men’s family members when Cook was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Friday.
Cook was married on February 14, Valentine’s Day, and arrested on February 17 after police traced the owner of a numberplate found at the scene.
Sentencing him, Judge Christine Laing KC said: ‘I am quite satisfied this was a pursuit carried out by you in determination of getting your drugs money back, together with aggravating features and the fact this tragedy caused the deaths of three men.
‘You returned to the Berlingo using a torch to search in and around the vehicle as those men lay dying in it. That speaks volume about your character.
‘In the immediate aftermath all you were thinking about was your position and getting your money back.’
The three men had driven to Eastbourne, East Sussex from Wokingham, Surrey to do the drug deal with Cook and another man who has never been identified.
Lewes Crown Court heard the £3,500 worth of cannabis Cook expected to buy turned out to be M&S popcorn.
Cook had previous convictions for burglary and drug dealing, the court heard.
The court heard that the cars raced through the narrow streets in the seaside town, half a car length apart, and at one point hit each other, causing the Citroen’s bumper and the Range Rover’s number plate to come off.
Cook, who was familiar with the roads, slowed to 19mph at a junction where he knew there were speed bumps, while Mr Day, who was driving the Citroen, lost control and crashed.
The Berlingo was thought to have been travelling at around 74mph through the residential street.
Cook was seen on CCTV getting out of the 4×4 and using torchlight to search the car before leaving the scene after around two minutes, without calling an ambulance for the men he told police he heard moaning in the car, the court heard.
Emergency services were called around 30 minutes after the crash by one of Cook’s associates, and Mr Day is likely to have died just before paramedics arrived an hour after the incident.
Beverly Cripps for the Crown told the court crash investigators found fresh scuff marks on the vehicles indicating there had been a collusion during the high speed chase.
Driver, Mr Day, lost control of the Berlingo after hitting the bumps at speed. The Berlingo hit a large tree, causing fatal injuries to all three men.
The Berlingo was thought to have been travelling at around 74mph through the residential street
Cook, who was familiar with the roads, slowed to 19mph at a junction where he knew there were speed bumps
Family members stood up in court and told how they had been robbed of their loved ones because of a ‘reckless’ pursuit.
Mr Day’s fiance, Kerri Farrell, told Cook: ‘He died because of someone else’s relentless, heartless actions.
‘You have taken our future away from us. My heart will always be broken.’
Mr Miller’s family described him as a ‘true hero’ who saved his sister’s life three years ago by donating one of his kidneys to her, and said their family will never be the same without his ‘big character’.
Mr Davies’s mother, Mandy Davies, told the court she was an ’emotional wreck’, adding: ‘I can’t get over losing him in such a tragic way.’
Cook hung his head as family members read emotional victim statements.
A letter written by Cook, a father-of-one, was read out in court expressing his remorse over the fatal pursuit.
‘I made choices that resulted in complete and utter devastation,’ he said.
‘I understand I need to be punished.
‘I’m sincerely remorseful of my actions… because of the moral and personal realisation of the wrong I’ve done and damage and pain I’ve caused.’