Leicestershire: Man sentenced following double fatal collision in Barlestone

September 21, 2012, 1:36 pm

A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment following a road traffic collision that killed two young women in Barlestone.

Thomas Henry Connors of Bradford, West Yorkshire pleaded guilty on Tuesday August 21, 2012 to two charges of causing death by careless driving.

He was sentenced today (Friday September 21, 2012) at Leicester Crown Court. He was also disqualified from driving for one year.

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The charges relate to a collision which happened at around 8pm on Thursday January 27, 2011 on the B558, Bagworth Road.

The collision involved four vehicles, a white Fiat Scudo panel van, a blue Renault Twingo Dymonique, a blue Ford Focus Zetec and a blue Toyota Rav 4 estate car.

20-year-old Jade Srawley, from Battram who was driving the Renault, received fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Amelia Ecob, who was also 20-years-old and from Battram, was a passenger in the same vehicle. She was taken to the Leicester Royal Infirmary with serious injuries but subsequently died.

A second passenger in the car was not injured.

Before police arrived at the location the driver of the Fiat made off from the scene. Three men were arrested suspected of being the driver of this vehicle but police were unable to prove which one it was.

It wasnt until an inquest into Jade and Amelias deaths was held in January 2012 that Connors, who was called as a witness, admitted to being the driver.

Following this admission, he was subsequently arrested and charged.

Detective Sergeant Mark Partridge, from the Serious Collision Investigation team, said: “This incident is a sad reminder of the effects of careless driving and the devastating consequences it can have.

“Throughout the investigation into this incident Connors refused to admit his part and it was only at the inquest he owned up to being the driver of the vehicle.

“I hope his admission helps the families of Amelia and Jade move on from the events of January 2011. I know the sentence will in no way make up for their loss but at least they have seen Mr Connors being held to account for his actions.”