Mums win apology from police over fatal crash scene response

Two mothers whose sons died in a crash have won an apology from police over the response of officers at the scene.

Angela Pearson and Sarah Turner rushed to the scene upon hearing of a "really bad accident" involving their boys.

Mrs Pearson was initially told her son Mason was "fine", while Mrs Turner said she only learned George, 17, had died when she saw a firefighter "throw a blanket over his head".

North Yorkshire Police said its conduct "fell short" in the aftermath.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said "we strive to learn where we can make improvements".

Mason and George were in one of two cars racing on the A61, near Thirsk, at the time of the March 2018 crash.

Mrs Pearson said she was met at the scene by police stopping vehicles, and the police constable she spoke to "radioed up and said that Mason was fine, he was alive".

Once she was told her son had died, "there didn't seem to be a lot of compassion or empathy", Mrs Pearson said.

She added: "We were sent on our merry way with no information about what to do, nobody came to see us and we didn't receive a phone call - it was the longest night of our lives."

Angela Pearson (left) and Sarah Turner said a restorative justice scheme led to them questioning emergency services about how they were treated at the scene of the crash

Mrs Turner, George's mother, also attended the crash scene and watched on as firefighters dismantled the car to get to those inside the vehicle.

After a while, "the fire service turned the machinery and a big halogen lamp off and started to walk away", she said.

"One of them came back and from about seven foot away he just threw a blanket over [George's] head and that was the moment I knew he'd gone, that image will live with me forever.

"Nobody said, 'come and sit down, I need to explain something'," she added.

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George and Mason were passengers in a VW Bora being driven by Luke Ridley, who was jailed for 11 years after admitting two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and five counts of causing serious injury.

William Corser, who was in another car and racing Ridley when the crash happened between Busby Stoop and Carlton Miniott, was jailed for 16 months after admitting dangerous driving.

Mrs Pearson and Mrs Turner met the two jailed men through a restorative justice scheme.

Mrs Turner said the jailed drivers "weren't remorseful" when they met them in prison, but the restorative justice scheme had "empowered" the women to meet emergency services and voice their feelings.

"It doesn't take away any of the pain or hurt it caused us, but if it stops it happening to another family then I feel like we've done our bit," she said.

Speaking about her experience of the restorative justice process, Mrs Pearson said: "I'm grateful we were able to do it, maybe to dampen some of the anger or the mixture of emotions we were feeling."

The crash happened on the A61 between Busby Stoop and Carlton Miniott on 7 March 2018

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said: "We recognise that the way that we initially responded to and supported the two families of those who had died, in the aftermath of the collision, was below the standard we should have achieved and added to their distress.

"We are very sorry that the level of service we provided fell short, and for any additional distress that was caused, and we would like to thank them for raising this with us so that we can ensure it does not happen again."

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "This was a tragic, complex and extremely emotive incident involving multiple casualties, including a family member of a local responding firefighter.

"Our aim is to treat all those involved with dignity and respect and we strive to learn where we can make improvements in our response to incidents."