Teenage driver detained for death

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A young driver who crashed his mother's car killing his teenage fiancée is beginning four-and-a-half years in youth custody.

David Lawrence, 19, was estimated to be twice over the drink-drive limit when he lost control of the Fiesta car on New Year's Day at Sychdyn, Flintshire.

His 17-year-old girlfriend, Rebecca White died later in hospital.

Lawrence, from Kinmel Bay near Rhyl, admitted causing the death by careless driving at Mold Crown Court.

The hearing was told that Lawrence and Miss White had been sweethearts since she was 13, and had become engaged just a few days before Christmas.

They had been out celebrating New Year's Eve and were planning to stay with her relatives near Mold on the night of the crash.

However, the court heard that following an argument they left the house, with Lawrence getting behind the wheel of his mother's Fiesta car.

'Flash of light'

Witnesses described the sound of tyres screeching as the car sped off.

As the car travelled through the village of Sychdyn, it hit two telegraph poles, a sign and a conifer tree, with the vehicle ending up on its side.

The court was told that a taxi driver saw the car "like a flash of light" moments before the crash at about 0320 GMT on New Year's Day.

An expert said the car was travelling between 42mph to 53mph in a 30mph zone, but said it could have been considerably more.

Miss White suffered head and chest injuries, and was declared dead in hospital, two days after celebrating her 17th birthday.

Following the crash, test showed that Lawrence had 118mg of alcohol in his blood, compared to the legal limit of 80mg. However, expert evidence estimated that at the time of the incident, the reading would have been closer to 180mg of alcohol in his blood.

"You had not intended to drive but you got into that car and drove off. You drove erratically and too fast. You were not fit to drive," said the judge, Mr Justice Nigel Davies.

'Tragedy'

He told Lawrence that while he still had his life before him, Miss White did not.

"That is because of you," he added.

But the judge also said the crash had been a tragedy for all concerned.

"Obviously it is a tragedy for you in your own way. But I trust you will be thinking hard of the effect on Rebecca's family. I think you know the grief and hurt caused by what you did that night," he said.

Duncan Bould, defending, said Lawrence was genuinely remorseful and wished he could remember what had happened. However, regardless of having no memory of the crash, he accepted full responsibility for it.

"My client has done a tragically wrong thing and he very much appreciates that," Mr Bould added.