Teen's crash death 'unavoidable'- court

A crash which killed a North Yorkshire teenager was "unavoidable", a court has heard.

Bailey Chadwick, 19, died when he was struck by a vehicle on the B6265, between Pateley Bridge and Glasshouses, in the early hours of 20 July last year.

On Thursday driver Joseph Henry Stott appeared at Harrogate Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to a charge of driving while unfit through drink on the first day of his trial.

Further charges of failing to stop after a crash and failing to report a crash were dropped, after collision data revealed Chadwick had been lying in the road playing music on his phone prior to the crash.

The 25-year-old defendant, of Dairy Lane, Darley, previously admitted driving a motor vehicle without insurance in connection with the incident.

Earlier prosecutor Curtis Dunkley told the court "even a careful driver not under the influence" would have hit Chadwick due to his position on the dark rural road.

The court heard it was unexplained why the 19-year-old had been lying in the road, but that he had suffered fatal injuries having been struck by Stott's car.

Dunkley said Stott "could not have been held responsible" for the crash itself.

However, he said CCTV had captured Stott buying and drinking alcohol at two bars in Leeds on the night of the crash, including several glasses of wine, pints of beer and shots of Jägermeister.

After leaving BOX sports bar in Headingley at 01:40 BST, he took a taxi with his partner to her cousin's address in the Horsforth area.

On the way, they stopped by a Shell garage, where Stott was filmed slurring his words.

Following an argument with his partner, the defendant decided to leave Leeds and got in his car at about 02:15 BST.

He drove for 45 minutes towards Pateley Bridge, close to where he encountered Chadwick at 02:57 BST.

Phil Morris, defending, said Stott had successfully navigated challenging routes for about 20 miles in North and West Yorkshire prior to the crash.

"He clearly had no intention of driving home at the start of the night out," he said.

"This was not a young man who intended to break the law."

Collision data found that Chadwick would have been visible from about 55m (180ft) away - illuminated by car headlights - giving a driver two seconds to react on the 60mph (96km/h) road.

Morris said the defendant had not realised he had driven over Chadwick and no visible damage was apparent on car.

However, damage was uncovered underneath the vehicle afterwards.

Chadwick's mum, Dayle Knights, read a victim impact statement to the court, detailing her son's kindness and humour, as well as his dream to go travelling in Thailand.

"He played guitar and would sit for hours playing Oasis, filling the house with music. Now, it is silent," she said.

"I am not the same person I was before Bailey was killed."

Judge Mark Daley sentenced Stott to a 12-month community order, comprising of 10 rehabilitation activity days, 135 hours unpaid work and 80 days abstaining from alcohol monitored by a tag.

He was disqualified from driving for 20 months and ordered to pay £514 in costs.

Following sentencing, Det Insp Jill Cowling, from North Yorkshire Police's serious collision investigation unit, said the teenager's death was "a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can arise when individuals choose to drive after consuming alcohol".

"Every road death leaves behind families, friends and communities whose lives are changed forever," she said.

Paying tribute to Chadwick, she added: "At the centre of this investigation was a young man whose life was tragically cut short. Our thoughts remain firmly with those who knew and loved him."

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