Teenager spared jail for role in "road race" deaths

Brett Hewson has been convicted of dangerous driving following the death of two teenagers in a road crash at Slinfold in July last year.

The 19-year-old was acquitted of the more serious charge of causing the death by dangerous driving which carries a 14-year maximum sentence.

Eighteen-year-old William Richardson, of Hayes Lane in Slinfold, was killed when the Peugeot 306 he was driving left Five Oaks Road and struck a tree on July 5 last year.

Passenger Asa Caudill, 19 of Arun Road in Billingshurst, suffered serious injuries and was taken to St George's Hospital in London but died the next day.

Another passenger in the Peugeot, an 18-year-old man, suffered wrist and shoulder injuries and a third passenger, a 17-year-old girl, suffered slight injuries.

The court heard the Peugeot was travelling at nearly 70mph while negotiating a bend in a 40mph zone.

Earlier the car had left the Billingshurst area together with an Opel Astra being driven by Hewson with both cars seen travelling at excessive speed, up the A29 and A264 towards Slindon carrying out dangerous overtaking manoeuvres which almost led to a head-on collision before the Peugeot crashed.

The prosecution contended that it was a case of two cars racing on public roads.

Speaking after the hearing, Sergeant Alan Spicer, of Sussex's road policing unit, said: "There are absolutely no winners in this case.

“A community has been devastated by the deaths of two popular young men who had their lives ahead of them, and I doubt their families will ever come to terms with their loss.

"This case should serve as a reminder that driving which may seem to be a bit of a laugh at the time can have devastating consequences, and has no place on the roads."

Landscape gardener Hewson was ordered to pay fines and costs of £250, banned from driving for 12 months and told he must take an extended driving test before regaining his licence at Lewes Crown Court on Friday.