Two brothers described as "idiots" have been implicated in a high-speed racing incident that left a teenage girl with catastrophic, life-changing injuries, a court has heard.
The Fatal Race on Sandbanks
Harrison Taylor, 19, and his 21-year-old brother Harry Taylor were racing each other at speeds of around 90mph on the exclusive Sandbanks peninsula in Dorset. The court was told that Harrison was driving a Mercedes A200, while his older brother Harry was behind the wheel of a BMW 135i.
It emerged that the pair had been given the powerful vehicles as gifts, reportedly to help them cope with their parents' separation. On the day of the crash, their competitive drive turned to tragedy.
A Catastrophic Loss of Control
The court heard how Harrison Taylor had his foot "pedal to the metal" before losing control of the Mercedes on a bend. The car veered off the road and smashed into the gatepost of a multi-million pound mansion in Poole.
In a devastating chain reaction, Harry Taylor's BMW then ploughed into the rear of the stationary Mercedes. The impact sent the Mercedes catapulting forward into a garden wall.
Life-Altering Consequences for a Young Passenger
The crash's most severe victim was Mia Savage, then aged 17, who was a front-seat passenger in the Mercedes. She was trapped in the crumpled wreckage and had to be cut free by emergency services, a harrowing scene witnessed by her mother who had rushed to the location.
Mia sustained injuries so severe they are considered life-changing. She was airlifted to hospital where the full extent of the damage was revealed:
- A shattered left femur
- A fractured neck
- A broken arm
- Eight broken ribs
- Severe internal bleeding from a severed spleen, a split diaphragm, and a lacerated liver
Her medical ordeal was immense. She underwent hours of complex surgery and was placed in an induced coma for a week. Following this, she spent 12 weeks in a fixed neck brace and was in traction for her arms and one leg during a long and painful recovery.
The case, heard at Bournemouth Crown Court, continues to examine the full circumstances and consequences of the brothers' actions that day on the Sandbanks peninsula.
