Man jailed after girl dies in crashed car

3:28pm Thursday 27th December 2001

A MAN has been jailed after admitting causing the death of a teenage girl when the stolen car he was driving crashed.

Melanie Martin, 14, was a back-seat passenger in the F-registration Vauxhall Astra when it went out of control on a bend and crashed into a wall in Coates Lane, Downley, on May 27.

Driver Michael North, 22, of Bedder Road, High Wycombe, was following Gordon McKay, who was driving another stolen Astra, but North failed to negotiate a right-hand bend while driving at about 46mph in the 30mph limit.

At Aylesbury Crown Court on December 20, Simon Ash, prosecuting, said that McKay and North were originally in a Ford Fiesta with a third accused, Micha Shone, 19, of Elm Road, High Wycombe, on May 27.

At around 9.40pm in Bourne End, McKay, 19, of Cherry Street, High Wycombe, got out and took a Vauxhall Astra and was joined by Shone.

The two cars later pulled up in Bank Street, High Wycombe, and Katrina Savin, 17, and Melanie got into the Astra.

Mr Ash said: "The vehicle then pulled up outside the Bricklayers pub in Downley, where McKay got out and took another Astra and drove off in it."

North got out into the driving seat of the original Astra and Shone got into the front passenger seat with the girls in the back.

Tragedy then struck at 11.20pm when the car crashed and Melanie, of Bank Street, High Wycombe, who was a pupil at Hatters Lane School, suffered fatal injuries.

North, who admitted causing the death of Melanie by dangerous driving, accepted he had been speeding but said it was an accident caused by loss of control.

Judge Terence Maher jailed North, who has previous convictions for other offences including robbery, for three-and-a-half years and banned him from driving for two years. "The sentence is not meant in any way to reflect the irreplaceable loss of this young lady's life."

Shone, who pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, had his sentence adjourned for four weeks for medical reports to be prepared.