Driver jailed over teen's death in car park crash

Leonie Grace Jones was killed in a car park in Gossops Green, near Crawley

A man has been jailed for six years for causing the death by dangerous driving of an 18-year-old woman in a car park.

Leonie Grace Jones was killed in the Gossops Green area in April 2022 when she was a flung out of the defective door of a car as Mark Coleman reversed and turned at speed.

Coleman, 23, formerly of Crawley, who admitted to causing death by dangerous driving and death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Thursday.

Carmel Richards, the victim's mother, said her daughter had died in "horrendous circumstances" and she often revisited the car park to "break down" away from her other children.

Forensic investigators found the front passenger door of Coleman’s Vauxhall Corsa could not close properly and flew open during the manoeuvre.

The court heard that he dialled 999 while Ms Jones was still alive.

He told an emergency operator that she had “ended up underneath the car” after “people had been messing about, drifting and whatever else".

The judge said he believed Coleman had "no wish" to cause Ms Jones harm

Minutes later Ms Jones stopped responding and no pulse could be found.

Coleman denied doing "doughnuts" in the Dormans car park, but the court was told how he was given a police warning eight months before the incident for driving recklessly by spinning his vehicle in a Tesco car park.

A breath alcohol test taken after his arrest showed he was over the legal limit, with 51 micrograms of alcohol detected.

Traces of cocaine and cannabis traces were also detected but were below the legal threshold for a charge.

As well as the prison sentence, Coleman was disqualified from driving for seven years.

The crash happened in the early hours of 25 April 2022

Ms Richards told the court the death of her daughter forced her to cancel her wedding which was due to take place in May 2023.

Speaking to Coleman, she criticised him for going on holiday months after the incident.

“How are you able to go to Ibiza two months after killing my daughter, living your best life?” she said. “You have shown no remorse or compassion.”

Det Sgt Foxton, from Sussex Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "He was over the legal alcohol limit, so he should not have been behind the wheel in the first place."

“Dangerous driving such as Coleman’s attempted turn and the insecure passenger door are also factors that can have devastating consequences."

Judge Gold KC told Coleman: "I accept that you are deeply remorseful and had no wish to cause her any harm”.