Driver jailed for killing teenage passengers in Cramlington crash

Garry Robinson ignored pleas to slow down from his teenage passengers

A drug driver who killed two of his teenage passengers in a crash after speeding has been jailed for 18 years.

Garry Robinson, 41, ignored pleas to slow down moments before he crashed head-on into another car near Cramlington in December.

Robinson's rear-seat passengers Corey Mavin, 15, and Connor Lapworth, 18, suffered "unsurvivable" injuries, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

He admitted causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.

The court heard Robinson was at least 10 times over the cocaine driving limit when he collected three youths, aged 15, 17 and 18, in his Suzuki Vitara to go "lamping", night hunting with lights, near Morpeth on the evening of 22 December.

His 17-year-old front seat passenger said Robinson reached speeds of 120mph on the 60mph road and was driving like a "divvy" on the A192 Hartford Bank.

Two other drivers reported him dangerously overtaking them at speed moments before the collision, with one saying he almost caused a head-on crash with another car which had to take evasive action.

Prosecutor Jolyon Perks said Mr Lapworth told Robinson to "slow down and stop showing off" but the driver "ignored repeated requests".

Garry Robinson was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court

Robinson, of no fixed abode, lost control as he rounded a bend and crashed into a Range Rover at about 21:30 GMT.

The female driver of the Range Rover, who was travelling at 40mph and had no time to react, suffered a fractured leg and thumb injury, the court heard.

After the crash, the Range Rover rolled into a Ford Focus behind it but the female driver was uninjured.

Mr Perks said Robinson's speedometer was "frozen" at 76mph, suggesting that was the speed he was travelling at when he crashed.

A retired GP stopped at the scene and found the two teenagers not breathing and unresponsive in the back of Robinson's car.

He and two off-duty police officers pulled the teenagers free and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, the court heard.

'Hatred'

Mr Lapworth, who had a six-month-old son with his "love of his life" girlfriend, was declared dead at the scene.

Corey died at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary the following day from an "unsurvivable" head injury, Mr Perks said.

The 15-year-old's mother Lisa Mavin wept as she told the court he was her "best friend and protector" and his younger brothers were totally bereft.

She said he was "making us proud" and the last words she can remember him saying to her was "love you mam" on a call hours before the crash.

She said his Christmas stocking was still hanging up at their family home and his friends and family were "all forever broken".

"Our son will never achieve the dream to be a footballer, we will never get to see him on his prom day, wedding day or have children," Ms Mavin said.

She said Robinson, who also had children, had to "understand the hatred" felt towards him and even the death penalty would not be enough.

'No intention of driving'

Mr Lapworth's parents said they were "devastated" and there was now a "part of them missing".

His father said Mr Lapworth was a "bright and vibrant young gentleman".

His mother said the teenagers "did not want to die" and their lives had "cruelly been taken from them".

His grandfather said Mr Lapworth had "his whole life taken from him in the most horrible way and through no fault of his own".

The court heard Robinson had twice before been banned from motoring and fined for drink driving, and on both occasions underwent a rehabilitation course.

In mitigation, Lorraine Mustard said Robinson, who was also injured in the crash, was remorseful and "accepted in full he caused the collision" by his driving.

She said he had "no intention of driving again" and the fatal crash was "something he would never get over".

'Ignored exultations'

Judge Christopher Prince said the "two loved and treasured teenagers" should have had "the opportunity to fulfil their dreams, hopes, ambitions and potentials, and enjoy and reciprocate the love of their families".

He said no sentence could "even scratch the surface of the profound grief and loss" inflicted by Robinson, who made a "deliberate decision" to drive dangerously with "persistent disregard" for the risk posed to others and warnings to stop.

"You were being urged by two people in that vehicle to desist from your driving and to slow down and you chose to ignore their exultations to stop driving dangerously," Judge Prince told him.

He said Robinson claimed he had been on a "three-day bender" before the crash and "did not learn any lessons" from his two previous drink-driving convictions.

Banning Robinson from driving for life, the judge said Robinson was at a "high risk" of reoffending and would "never be safe to be behind the wheel of a car".

Robinson was jailed for 18 years with a four-year extended licence period.