Megan Murphy, a 26-year-old personal trainer and CrossFit athlete, has been sentenced to six years in prison for causing the death of Darryl Tomlinson by dangerous driving. The incident occurred in the early hours of January 9 last year on Pembroke Road in Marsh Green, Wigan.
What happened on the night of the incident
Darryl Tomlinson, 31, had been out drinking with friends and was intoxicated, having also likely taken cocaine and cannabis, the court heard. He was captured on CCTV staggering before collapsing in the middle of the road at approximately 3.19am. He was dressed in a black jacket with a fluffy hood and black trousers. Despite two calls to friends and a resident contacting emergency services, neither police nor paramedics attended the scene due to an incorrect address being recorded.
At around 5.44am, Murphy emerged from her home and spent only three seconds attempting to clear ice from her windscreen before driving the wrong way down the one-way street. She drove over Mr Tomlinson, reversed, and ran over him again. Bystanders waved their arms and shouted, and a taxi driver sounded his horn, but Murphy continued.
Court proceedings and sentencing
Murphy pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. Sentencing her at Bolton Crown Court on June 24, Recorder of Bolton Judge Nicholas Clarke KC stated: "CCTV footage records you for three seconds attempting to defrost your windscreen. This was hopelessly inadequate. The other windows remained opaque and the windscreen was still completely covered with thick ice. You were driving blind." He emphasized that Murphy deliberately chose to drive when she could not see properly and drove the wrong way down a one-way street.
Prosecutor Rob Hall noted that Murphy had a habit of reversing out of an access lane and driving the wrong way down Pembroke Road to save time. "It would seem she ignored the rules of the road to save herself time by avoiding driving around the housing estate," he said.
Murphy's background and defense
John Dove, representing Murphy, stated she had no previous convictions and an unblemished driving history. He described her as a "broken woman" devastated by her actions. Murphy initially thought she had hit an animal and later made a comment calling Mr Tomlinson a "smackhead," which she regretted. Dove characterized her as a hard-working individual who served in the army as a chef for six years before becoming a personal trainer and CrossFit athlete.
Emergency services failure
The court heard that a separate inquiry is ongoing into why emergency services failed to locate Mr Tomlinson despite a call from a resident at 5.05am. The address provided to both the North West Ambulance Service and Greater Manchester Police was incorrect, leading them to attend the wrong location.
Impact and aftermath
A post-mortem examination revealed numerous bruises and abrasions on Mr Tomlinson's body. His cause of death was chest injuries and acute alcohol toxicity. Judge Clarke noted that alcohol was not the direct cause but accelerated his condition.
Detective Constable Carl Boydell from GMP's Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: "This was a truly tragic and entirely avoidable incident that has resulted in the devastating loss of a life. Our thoughts remain firmly with Darryl's family and loved ones as they continue to come to terms with what has happened." He stressed the importance of motorists ensuring full visibility before driving.
