Man jailed after passenger died in crash

Cory Heritage was driving a Ford EcoSport ST-Line when he crashed in Bagworth

A man has been jailed after his passenger died when the car he was driving crashed into a tree and flipped over in Leicestershire.

Cory Heritage was driving a Ford EcoSport ST-Line in Barlestone Road, Bagworth, when he lost control in January 2024.

Jason Farmer, 48, was thrown from the car alongside Heritage and was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Heritage, 24, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving at Leicester Crown Court in October and was sentenced to 27 months in prison on Wednesday.

Leicestershire Police was called to reports of the single-car crash on 11 January 2024.

On arrival, officers were unsure who was driving the car as both men were out of the vehicle.

Heritage, who was arrested at the scene, initially denied being the driver.

However, a forensic investigation of the car determined that he was driving at the time of the collision, detectives said.

He was later found to have cannabis and alcohol in his system when the crash happened.

Det Con Louise Hough said: "Heritage's contempt for the loss of life that he caused was apparent when he told us he wasn't the driver of the car.

"While this sentence won't bring Jason back, I hope the fact that Heritage has received a jail sentence offers some comfort to his family."