Crash driver 'left friend to die'

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A driver left his friend to die in the passenger seat of a car following a late-night accident, a court has heard.

Adam Ferguson, 29, suffered serious injuries when the car plunged down an embankment into a ditch near St Neots, Cambridgeshire, on 1 March 2008.

Christian White, of Cherry Tree Grove, Spalding, Lincolnshire, was driving the car but walked away instead of calling for help, Luton Crown Court heard.

Mr White, 30, denies one count of manslaughter by gross negligence.

The court heard that instead of calling 999 or going in search of help, Mr White left his seriously injured friend and walked five miles to his former home in Sandy, Bedfordshire.

Found by motorist

He did not call Mr Ferguson the next morning and carried on with his day-to-day life, even going out the following night, the jury was told.

Mr Ferguson was found the following morning by a passing motorist, by which time he had died.

William Harbage QC, prosecuting, told the court that Mr White's failure to summon any help for his friend had "consigned him to death".

He might, of course, have died anyway. But with prompt medical attention he might have survived William Harbage QC

He said Mr Ferguson was the passenger in a car Mr White was driving "too fast for the particular piece of road" that night.

He said: "White, who was wearing a seatbelt, sustained minor cuts and bruises but was otherwise all right.

"Adam Ferguson, who was not wearing a seatbelt, suffered serious head injuries but he was still alive.

"He clearly needed urgent medical treatment. The defendant, though, simply left the scene."

He said Mr Ferguson was found dead inside the car about 12 or 13 hours after the crash.

'Disqualified driver'

Mr Harbage told the court that Mr White was disqualified from driving at the time and may also have been over the drink-drive limit.

He said: "That's why, we say, he simply left his friend to die.

"He might, of course, have died anyway. But with prompt medical attention he might have survived."

The court heard that Mr White went to Mr Ferguson's house in Eynesbury, Cambridgeshire, on Friday 29 February, and planned to stay there after a night out.

The pair went out in St Neots, taking a burgundy Vauxhall Cavalier Mr Ferguson had bought that day, the court was told.

Mr Ferguson drove them there but Mr White drove on the way back, and was seen on CCTV getting into the driver's seat.

Mr White said the last thing he remembered was driving the car, then opening his eyes to find himself lying on a grass verge, the court heard.

He told police he could not see anyone else and the next thing he recalled was waking up at home, unaware of how he had got there.

The trial continues.