'Thrill seeking' teenager who killed friend on e-scooter sentenced

A "thrill-seeking" teenager who crashed his e-scooter and killed his 14-year-old friend has received a non-custodial sentence.

Jacob Calland, who was a passenger on the back, suffered irreversible brain injuries when it was struck by a BMW car in Wythenshawe, Manchester, on 19 March 2025.

Manchester Crown Court heard the driver, who is now 15 and cannot be named due to his age, had received the scooter as a present from his mother two weeks before the crash.

"My heart has been smashed into a thousand pieces and there is nothing that can be done to fix it. My life is a living nightmare," Jacob's mother, Carly Calland, said in a statement read to the court.

"I climbed into the hospital bed to cuddle him and I fell asleep holding him.

"When I woke up, it was time to turn off the machines. I told Jacob I loved him just before he passed away.

"My baby boy was gone forever."

The court heard the teenage rider also sustained serious injuries including a bleed on the brain and numerous bone fractures.

Jacob died in hospital eight days after the collision.

The boy, who had earlier pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, had been riding the e-scooter through a red light and into oncoming traffic before the crash.

Prosecutors said it was not possible to confirm the exact speed it was travelling at before it was struck by the BMW on Southmoor Road at the junction of Timpson Road.

However, the court heard the scooter had a "turbo mode" setting with top speeds of up to 28mph.

The boy sat in the well of the court with his father as Judge Suzanne Goddard KC told him: "It is clear from dashcam footage, CCTV and eyewitness statements that you were driving at speed when you entered the junction and too fast for you and the driver to avoid the collision.

"I am satisfied your actions were reckless. You were seeking the thrill of riding a scooter at high speed and not thinking of the danger you were placing yourself and Jacob in.

"The e-scooter should not have been used on a public road at all. The use of privately owned e-scooters remains illegal on public roads, cycle lanes, pavements and public parks."

The court heard the boy, who had no previous convictions or cautions, had a "very unstable, traumatic upbringing" and rarely attended school.

However Judge Goddard accepted he had made "remarkable progress" since the crash after moving out of the area to live with his father.

She said a pre-sentence report and a psychiatric assessment stated that the teenager was "genuinely and deeply remorseful and is struggling with his feelings of guilt for what he did".

"Jacob was a friend and he is deeply upset at the devastation caused to Jacob's family," she said.

"In my judgment sending him to custody would put him at risk of serious mental health issues, damage his education prospects and increase his risk of re-offending."

He was ordered to complete an 18-month youth referral order and was also banned from driving for five years.

Det Con Steve Pennington from Greater Manchester Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: "E-scooters are not harmless toys and they can lead to horrific consequences when used by inexperienced riders and without the due care required."

He also praised Jacob's mother for launching a campaign called Jacob's Journey - Life After Death - aimed at raising awareness about the danger's of e-scooters.

"To see her utilising her emotions and grief to power and promote a worthy cause has been inspiring to see," Det Con Pennington added.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.