Utterby crash: Four locked up for causing death of woman, 20

Denii Reynolds died after a crash on the A16 at Utterby, near Louth, in October 2021

Four men have been locked up for causing the death of a woman after racing at "grossly excessive speeds".

Denii Reynolds, from Grimsby, died in the crash on the A16 at Utterby, near Louth, Lincolnshire, in October 2021.

Ms Reynolds was travelling in a Citroen C1 driven by Keelan Tuke, 21, when it hit a Vauxhall Corsa. She died at the scene, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Tuke and three others were convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and were sentenced on Friday.

Tuke, of Grafton Street, Grimsby, Riley Duncombe, 19, of Thesiger Walk, Grimsby, Keigan Launder, 23, of Louth Road, Grimsby, and Josh Dobb, 21, of Hadleigh Road, Immingham, were also convicted of a second charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving to the occupant of the Corsa.

On Friday, Tuke, Launder and Dobb were each jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Duncombe, who had passed his driving test only a week before the crash, was sentenced to five years and eight months in a young offenders institution.

All four will also be disqualified from driving for a further five years after their release.

'Completely heartbroken'

Passing sentence, Judge James House KC said: "What happened on the night of 26 October 2021 was a tragedy.

"It is undoubtedly the case that none of these defendants set out that night with the intention of anyone being seriously harmed, let alone killed."

However, he said: "I am sure what they were doing was egging each other on, driving in a competitive manner, pushing each other to drive faster.

"In short they were showing off to each other and their passengers."

All four drivers were travelling at "grossly excessive speeds" in the moments before the crash, the court heard

The judge added: "I appreciate to Denii Reynolds' loved ones no sentence I can pass is adequate," adding "the impact on her family is incalculable".

"As has been said, no parent should have to bury their child."

Ms Reynolds' father said in a statement that he was "completely heartbroken and devastated" by her death,

Her family also described their disappointment at having to sit through a trial, with her mother saying it felt like the defendants had failed to take full responsibility, or to finally show Denii some respect as her "so-called friends".

The driver of the Corsa said until the night of the collision she was a normal, sprightly 79-year-old who was returning home after playing bridge.

"The accident has ruined my life, and the road to recovery has been painful and difficult," her statement read.

The court previously heard the four defendants were racing each other before the crash, driving at "grossly excessive speeds" before Tuke's vehicle clipped a kerb and veered across the road into the path of the Corsa in a 50mph (80km/h) zone.

According to analysis of dashcam footage, Dobb's vehicle had been travelling at up to 99mph (159km/h) shortly before the crash, while Tuke's top speed had been calculated to be 98mph (157km/h).