Sarah Magill and Emma Kehoe act in Death by Dangerous Driving case involving teenagers

Sarah Magill and Emma Kehoe appeared on opposite sides of a case that saw Sarah prosecuting a teenage defendant represented by Emma who caused the death of his 17 year old passenger in a collision that took place in 2024.

Demi-Leigh Davies lost her life when the car she was travelling in, driven by the defendant, pulled across the bullnose on the M65 when the defendant realised he was coming off the carriageway slip road instead of continuing forwards. He made the manoeuvre while driving at the car’s top speed, 113mph, when the hatched markings in the bullnose were at their widest. Pulling across at that speed meant he lost control of the vehicle and it crashed into the central reservation and flipped, crashing into the verge. Demi-Leigh was discovered by a passer by who quickly stopped to administer first aid.

Emma, instructed by Nicola Saulle of Farleys, defended a neurodivergent defendant who was struggling to come to terms with his culpability in these very sensitive and sad proceedings that culminated in his being jailed for 5 years and 3 months, and disqualified from driving for in excess of 9 years at Preston Crown Court. The case involved significant assistance from the prosecution and the defence by way of reference to relevant sentencing authorities that impact defendant drivers who are 17 at the point of commission of the offence, but over 18 at the time they plead guilty and are sentenced, for an offence that recently saw the law change in that the maximum sentence was increased to life for all offenders, including youths. Sarah was instructed by the Crown Prosecution Service Northwest and assisted by the SIO, OIC and FLO from Lancashire Police.

The case has been widely reported in the press and on the BBC.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/demi-davies-car-crash-burnley-37359881