Woman Admits Guilt in Tragic Collision That Killed Couple
A 27-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to causing the deaths of a couple in a horrific road collision while she was reportedly rushing to a beauty salon appointment. Laila Barnard-Wigley admitted causing the deaths of Dean Yarrow, 33, and Faye Wardle, 32, by careless driving during a hearing at Hull Crown Court.
Case History and Court Proceedings
The guilty plea comes after a previous trial in December 2023 ended with a jury unable to reach verdicts, resulting in a retrial being scheduled. Barnard-Wigley had originally faced more serious charges of causing death by dangerous driving, but the jury was directed to return not guilty verdicts on those charges due to insufficient evidence.
Sentence has been adjourned until January, with the defendant granted unconditional bail until the next hearing. Defence barrister Richard Dawson requested a pre-sentence report be prepared, with the court confirming that all sentencing options including imprisonment will be considered.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The tragic collision occurred on May 7, 2021, when Barnard-Wigley's Mercedes apparently aquaplaned and veered across the road into oncoming traffic. The court heard she had been travelling to Bridlington, Yorkshire, for a 3:30pm appointment at a beauty salon where she hoped to sell makeup products.
Prosecutors alleged that minutes before the collision, Barnard-Wigley had made five or six attempts to overtake another vehicle before successfully doing so. Shortly afterwards, her car collided head-on with a red Peugeot 208 driven by Mr Yarrow, with Miss Wardle in the front passenger seat.
The couple's vehicle ended up in a field beside the road, and both victims died at the scene from their injuries. The prosecution maintained that Barnard-Wigley's speed was inappropriate for the weather conditions when the collision occurred.
Police Response and Family Impact
Following the guilty pleas, Sergeant Rob Mazingham of Humberside Police's serious collisions unit described the incident as "a truly tragic incident that devastated families." He acknowledged the complexity and length of the investigation while praising the families' patience and strength throughout the process.
"Every fatal collision we attend is a tragedy that didn't need to happen," Sergeant Mazingham stated. "Behind every incident is a person, whether that be someone's parent, partner, child, sibling or best friend, and in almost every case, it could have been prevented."
The police sergeant also noted that while the driver must live with the consequences of their actions, he expressed satisfaction that Barnard-Wigley was being held accountable for her crimes ahead of January's sentencing hearing.
