A DRUG-taking joyrider who killed two youngsters in a high-speed crash
was yesterday sentenced to a total of 51 months in a young offenders'
institution.
Victims Mark McCullum, 14, and Caroline Sinderby, 15, died when a BMW
rolled over and ended up in a field after crashing into another car at
91mph, Maidstone Crown Court heard.
Unemployed Alan Thompsett, 19, from Blue Town, Sheerness, Kent, was
accused of killing them both by dangerous driving on the Isle of
Sheppey.
He had admitted the charge at a previous hearing and had been remanded
in custody until yesterday. He had also admitted handling the stolen
car, committing three burglaries, and stealing another car.
Thompsett received a three-and-a-half year sentence for each death,
and 12 months for handling the car, all to run concurrently.
He also received three concurrent six-month sentences for each
burglary, which were added to the previous sentences.
He also got three months for another burglary committed after he
escaped from a probation centre, to run consecutively to the other
terms. He was also banned from driving for five years.
The court was told by prosecutor Mr Michael O'Sullivan that Thompsett
had stolen the BMW in Herne Bay on July 17.
After smoking several joints of cannabis, he drove to a fairground at
Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey on July 17 and invited people to join
him. Caroline and Mark took him up on the offer.
''It was clear he didn't have a great deal of ability to drive the
car,'' said Mr O'Sullivan. ''He crashed the gears, stalled the engine,
overtook cars on the wrong side of the road, drove very fast, and then
braked very hard.
''Heading towards Leysdown he increased speed. Tyres screeched as he
turned corners. One of the passengers noted the speedometer touching
110mph.
''A Mr Cairns who, with his wife and four children, was driving in the
opposite direction, saw the BMW coming towards him on the wrong side of
the road at excessive speed.
''It was clear to him the driver had lost control of the car which
crossed the centre white line three times.''
The BMW swerved and hit Mr Cairns's car on the side, swung to the
nearside, left the ground, and somersaulted into a field landing on its
roof.
The youngsters were killed, both suffering multiple injuries. Another
passenger, Clare Abbott, suffered severe injuries.
Blood samples taken from Thompsett showed traces of cannabis.
Sentencing him, Judge Felix Waley said: ''You killed two young people
and you killed them driving at a speed of over 100 mph.
''You were incompetent as a driver and had no licence. You were at the
time affected by drugs and it is a miracle you did not kill more
people.''
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