Boy racer who left friend dying in crash detained

Billy Conroy admitted causing death by dangerous driving

A "cowardly" boy racer who fled and left his 15-year-old friend dying in the wreckage of a crashed car has been detained.

Billy Conroy was 16 when he crashed a Mazda6 in Newcastle while fleeing from police, with passenger Conner Loder suffering "catastrophic" fatal head injuries, the city's crown court heard.

Conner's mother said her family had been "broken" by his death and the mistake had "cost him his life".

Conroy, now aged 17, of Ellesmere Road in Newcastle, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was detained for five and a half years.

The court heard that Conroy, who has a history of dangerous driving, led police on a 140mph pursuit when he was 15.

Before the fatal crash, he had illegally bought the car for £400 and had been seen driving at speed around Newcastle with five passengers who were gesturing at people and playing loud music hours before the crash.

The car also had registration plates stolen from another car, prosecutor Emma Dowling said.

Conner Loder was killed in a crash in Newcastle in June

At about 01:00 BST on 10 June, a police officer started following the car after spotting it did not have a front registration plate, the court heard.

Conroy drove off at speed through a red light but lost control and clipped the kerb, crashing into poles supporting a road sign on Stamfordham Road.

The driver and two other youths fled, leaving Conner and a 16-year-old passenger who had broken a leg, Ms Dowling said.

In a statement read to the court, Conner's mother said he was a "normal teenager" who loved his family and had ambitions to be a professional video gamer.

"He was my world and more," she said, adding: "I love him so much."

She also said he was "not like the other boys in the car" and had been "brought up right".

She said the other youths thought only of themselves when they fled and did not offer her son help, adding: "It kills me every day to know he had no-one there with him and how scared he must have been."

'Bravado and arrogance'

The court heard Conroy had convictions from the age of 12 and in August 2023 had led police on a 140mph pursuit along the A69 to Hexham.

In mitigation, the court heard he was "devastated" about the death of his friend and he would have to live with that for the rest of his life.

Judge Tim Gittins said he "should never have been driving that night" and was an "accident waiting to happen".

He said the boy had been seen earlier in the night reaching 80mph on a 50mph stretch of the A1.

"You had been showing off," the judge said, adding Conroy was "not capable of handling such a powerful car properly or safely."

He also said the youth, who police found hiding in a cupboard, made no effort to help his injured passengers which was a "cowardly thing to do".

He said the teenager's "bravado and arrogance" were obvious and he wished "every boy racer" who thought it was "big and cool" to drive dangerously, learned lessons from Conner's death.

Conroy, who also admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified, must also serve a three-year extended licence upon his release.

He was also banned from driving for eight years and eight months and will have to take an extended test.

Judge Gittins lifted reporting restrictions allowing Conroy's identity to be revealed after an application from the press.