A drunken dad left the pub just minutes before he caused a "catastrophic" crash at nearly 130mph which took the lives of three people.
Carl Simpson, of Glebe Close, Fishburn, near Stockton-on-Tees, got into his car having just consumed several pints of lager and drove two friends before crashing into another car at 126mph on Romney Road, Lydd, Kent. The two passengers, Jack Ryle-Thompsett, from Lydd, and Michael Phelan, from Hull, died at the scene, along with Sharon Haywood, from Ashford, who was driving the other car.
Shocking pictures of the scene show the devastating aftermath of the crash where driver Simpson was the only survivor. Outlining the case at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday, prosecutor Kieran Brand outlined how Simpson's white BMW and Ms Haywood's Dacia Duster collided less than eight minutes after Simpson left the pub.
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The pair were travelling in opposite directions when it appears Ms Haywood's Dacia - who was travelling within the speed limit - briefly travelled on the opposite carriage when the cars collided, reports HullLive. Sentencing Judge Simon James remarked during the hearing that he believed it was not out of the question that Ms Haywood did so when she saw how fast the defendant was approaching her.
Mr Brand said: "The subsequent collision can only be described as catastrophic. The Dacia was flung high in the air leaving the carriageway to the eastern side of the road, rolling multiple times."
Mr Brand said the BMW - which Mr Ryle-Thompsett and Mr Phelan were passengers in - was travelling at 126mph at the time of the crash. He said: "Mr Phelan and Mr Ryle-Thompsett both sustained severe injuries from which they tragically died instantly.
"All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Simpson survived not withstanding serious injuries he'd sustained. With assistance from members of the public he managed to extract himself from the vehicle before it caught fire."
One witness described a high-speed left turn by Simpson which he likened to a Formula 1 racing car and said the standard of driving by the BMW was "terrible". Another couple in a Jaguar said they didn't believe the car would be staying on the road for much longer and said "it's going to lose control".
The court heard Simpson was later taken to King's College Hospital via air ambulance before an investigation took place. Mr Brand said the power station worker was spoken to prior to being taken to hospital and confirmed he had been drinking earlier in the day and was travelling back from the pub.
At the time of the crash, Simpson held a full driving licence but had six penalty points for two offences of speeding committed in 2020.
A collision report was summarised in court which said Simpson was travelling at a speed "grossly in excess of the national speed limit in force". The court heard if the BMW had been travelling within the speed limit this would have given Simpson more time and twice the distance to avoid a hazard.
During the sentencing hearing, ten heartfelt victim impact statements from the family of those killed were read out. Mr Phelan's wife Angie said: "We were married just 20 months when on the 18th April our happiness was ripped apart.
"Our lives have shattered to pieces. He trusted his friend with his life and in return his friend killed him. Mike was a lovely, kind and happy person. He loved his family so much."
Jack Ryle-Thompsett's partner Georgina Fletcher was pregnant with his daughter at the time of the fatal crash. She said her "whole world came crashing down" when he died.
Addressing the defendant, she said: "The love of my life, my soul mate and the daddy to our then unborn baby girl was taken away by you. Not a day, hour or minute goes by when he isn't thought about but what doesn't happen everyday is watching him walk through the door as he should be greeting the daughter that he always wanted.
"You got into the car and drove at a speed completely unacceptable and killed three innocent people who were thriving in life with families and young children that will now never see them again.
"I feel for your children as now they'll have to grow up without a dad [but] at least they will be able to talk to you unlike Lylah who thinks her dad is a picture on a headstone."
In mitigation, Simpson's barrister, Tom Doble, said at the time of the incident the defendant, along with Mr Ryle-Thompsett and Mr Phelan, were part of a work at height team completing maintenance at Dungeness Power Station. He said they'd been working together throughout the pandemic and considered them to be his good friends.
He said Simpson suffered a shattered pelvis, ruptured bladder and bowel, broken ribs, lung contusions a bleed on the brain and psychological injuries. Mr Doble said in March this year he was referred for specialist intervention by a crisis team due to his suicidal thoughts. He said his client suffers from acute stress disorder, PTSD and depression.
Sentencing, the Recorder of Canterbury, Judge Simon James, described the incident as "reckless, aggressive and deliberate dangerous driving". The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and handed a five-year driving ban.
He added: "There is no definitive explanation for why it was that Ms Haywood's vehicle was positioned partially over the central white line. It seems to me to defy all logic and good sense to exclude the possibility that she was reacting in sheer panic."
Rachael Stephens, the daughter of Sharon Haywood, said: "It’s now over two years since the crash which killed my mum, I still can’t believe that she has gone. Although I knew that no sentence Carl Simpson received today would ever change anything or bring her back, I am glad he has been sent to prison and uses that time to consider his selfish actions.
"A speeding, drunk driver has resulted in destroying our family and it’s broken my grandad, mum’s dad’s heart. Further hurt was caused by Mr Simpson not pleading guilty at the first chance he had and dragging this pain on. I am thankful to everyone involved in the extensive investigation that has brought this to a close today, although we live with the pain of Mr Simpson’s actions that day and always will."
Following sentencing, Chief Inspector Craig West, head of roads policing unit at Kent Police said: "This is a very tragic incident where three people have lost their lives through the selfish actions of one person.
"The consequences of Simpson choosing to have not one but three drinks before driving that day have left families mourning their loved ones. Let this be a stark reminder to anyone who chooses to drink and drive. Alcohol limits are there for a reason."
