Danger driver who crashed car and killed friend is jailed

A driver who crashed a car into a tree and killed a passenger after a police chase before fleeing the scene has been jailed.

Thomas Culshaw, 29, had not been wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the car, later dying in hospital.

Andrew Blackburn, 27, of Clitheroe in Lancashire, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

He was jailed for seven years and 4 months at Burnley Crown Court.

The court heard Blackburn had been travelling at 76mph (122km/h) in a built-up residential area with a 20mph (32km/h) speed limit before crashing into the tree at about 21:48 GMT on 10 December 2022.

He had earlier been a passenger in the car along with three others and another person driving.

But the car was pulled over by police after failing to stop at a red light, and Blackburn took the controls while the driver was detained.

He then drove off at high speed along with the other passengers including Mr Culshaw, of Accrington.

Blackburn only had a provisional driving licence, was not insured and did not have consent from the owner to drive the vehicle, police said.

Conditions were wet and temperatures were freezing, with heavy snow on the ground as Blackburn drove the car at high speed - sometimes on the wrong side of the road.

Within seconds of the collision Blackburn ran away "and made no attempts to check if any of the passengers were injured", police said.

Det Sgt Joseph Ghigi said his actions were "truly appalling".

“Driving a car with a provisional driving licence, without insurance and consent, Andrew Blackburn drove at almost four times the speed limit in a built-up residential area, in freezing, snowy conditions," he said.

“Whilst no sentence will ever reflect or make up for the loss of life, I welcome the fact that Blackburn has been given a custodial sentence and been made accountable for his behaviour that night."

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