A teenager has been sentenced after admitting causing the death of a motorbike rider in a head-on collision in County Durham. Jack Appleton, now 19, was 17 when his car struck Andrew Robson's motorbike on Spring Road in Murton in September 2024. Mr Robson, 29, suffered fatal injuries.
Court hears of dangerous overtaking manoeuvre
Teesside Crown Court heard that Appleton carried out a "dangerous overtaking manoeuvre" before the crash. He admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced on Thursday.
During the hearing, Mr Robson's family wept as they described their pain. His mother, Julie, read a statement telling the court their lives had been destroyed.
Family pay tribute to 'most kind person'
Speaking of her son's birth and childhood, she said "he was the most beautiful boy" who attended Gosforth High School. She added: "He was always very popular. He got a job as a paper lad and got up with the break of dawn to deliver his papers."
She continued: "He turned into such a handsome young man. Andrew was the most kind person, he would help anyone. He was gifted with the most infectious smile. His personality drew people in."
Julie explained that her son was the father of a "beautiful daughter" and he "loved her so much". She added: "What he loved most was his family and friends, and his little daughter. He loved her so much, he was smitten by her."
Mother describes moment she learned of crash
She described the day she received the news of her son's death over the phone. She said: "My phone rang. A man told me about the crash. I remember asking how bad it was. He said 'bad'. I began to scream. I felt like my whole body had gone into shock."
Following Mr Robson's death, Julie has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and insomnia. She told the court: "I'm tortured every day. I have insomnia. If I'm lucky enough to sleep, I'm crippled with nightmares, about the horrendous injuries Andrew suffered in that crash."
Speaking about the impact on Mr Robson's daughter, Julie said: "My gorgeous granddaughter has been robbed of memories of her daddy. He will never see her go to school, will never see her get married. That little girl has cried for her daddy for two years. I now feel like I've lost everything. I need Jack Appleton to understand what he has done. The lives that he has destroyed."
Mr Robson's partner also read out a statement. She said: "We are struggling to come to terms with the shock of his death. His absence is felt everyday." She told Appleton he had "devastated so many lives" with his "reckless actions", causing "unimaginable pain and suffering". "We will have to live with the consequences of your actions for the rest of our lives," she added.
Sentence and background
As reported by ChronicleLive, Judge Amanda Rippon said she had a difficult decision to make and must follow guidelines. She sentenced Appleton as a 17-year-old, as that was his age at the time of the offence. She gave him three years in prison, suspended for three years. Appleton was also disqualified from driving for six years and ordered to carry out 280 hours of unpaid work.
The court heard that Appleton, of Coach Lane, Hazlerigg, Newcastle, had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, he had a learning disability and had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the collision. He had no previous convictions and had gained employment as an apprentice.
Appleton's barrister told the court the defendant had expressed "clear palpable remorse". He said: "There are no words that I or he could put forward to express how sorry he is for their loss and how heavily he bears the responsibility for it." He further added: "His remorse here is deep."
