Billingshurst death crash: 'Irresponsible' drivers jailed
- Published
Fraser Hallam had his whole life ahead of him when he died in the crash
Two drivers who raced each other along a country road, have been jailed after a teenage passenger died when one of their cars careered into woodland.
At times the pair were driving at more than 100mph (160kmph) during their fatal chase, Hove Crown Court heard.
Fraser Hallam, 19, was in the back of Coughlan's Ford Focus when it landed on its roof in Billingshurst, West Sussex.
Bryn Coughlan, 24, was sentenced to four years in prison and Christopher Keating, 29, was given three months.
The court heard the pair had been seen "driving very fast and very close to each other, as if racing", on the A264 Five Oaks Road, shortly before the crash.
Police investigators said they had been travelling between 108mph (173kmph) and 114mph (183kmph) at times and had been attempting to overtake each other in August 2017.
'Irresponsible and dangerous'
Coughlan, of Daux Avenue, Billingshurst, was driving the green Focus in which Mr Hallam was a passenger, and admitted causing death by dangerous driving. He has been disqualified from driving for six and a half years.
Bryn Coughlan was jailed for four years after his Ford Focus left the road and overturned
Keating, of Eastcroft Mews, Horsham, who was driving a Honda Civic, denied causing death by dangerous driving but was found guilty of a lesser charge of dangerous driving.
He has been banned from driving for two years.
The court heard Coughlan collected Mr Hallam and another friend to take them to play football in Horsham.
The friend was treated at Worthing Hospital but Mr Hallam was declared dead at the scene.
After the sentencing, PC Karen Whitehouse, of Sussex Police, said both cars had been modified to make them more powerful.
Police said both vehicles had been modified to be more powerful
The car landed on its roof in woodland near the A264 in Billingshurst
"Both men decided that day to show off to each other, driving in a totally irresponsible and dangerous manner, which not only put them in danger but also other motorists.
"Tragically, a young man, with his whole life ahead of him, lost his life that day because the driver put his desire to show off above his passengers' safety."