Justin Whelan, 33, and Kayleigh Grant, 37, struck and killed motorcyclist Kevin Jones, 62, while travelling 88mph on a 40mph road
A couple responsible for crashing into and killing a motorcyclist whilst speeding have been jailed.
Justin Whelan, 33, and Kayleigh Grant, 37, struck motorcyclist Kevin Jones, 62, whilst travelling in a blue Ford Mondeo at 88mph on a 40mph road in Wanborough, Surrey, on 14 October, 2023.
Whelan, who was behind the wheel, lost control of his car on a bend, crossing into the opposite lane and colliding with Jones, who died from his injuries at the scene. Grant, who was in the front passenger seat at the time, recorded him on her phone prior to the crash and encouraged him to drive faster.
Grant’s four children, all 13 or under, were also in the car at the time of the crash. As the car was only designed to carry three passengers, a six-year-old child was sat in the footwell behind Grant without a seatbelt or any sort of protection when the collision occurred, Surrey police said in a statement.
Whelan was jailed for nine years and four months at at Guildford Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in August last year. Grant meanwhile was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of abetting causing death by dangerous driving.
She was also found guilty of cruelty to a person under 16.
Following the collision, Grant left the scene with her children before the police arrived and lied about the number of children in the back seat of the car, a police spokesperson said.
CCTV footage showed Whelan driving at 88mph for a mile before the crash, and overtaking another car in a 30mph zone by a crossroads junction in a manoeuvre described as “very dangerous” by a witness.
Whelan had purchased the car four days prior, and had previously said “Oh my God, it’s a fast, fast, fast, fast car” in a message sent to a friend.
During a five-day trial at Guildford Crown Court, a judge said Whelan had been driving at a “grossly excessive speed”, that Grant had been “exhilarated at the manner of Whelan’s driving”, and that she chose to “to egg him on to continue to drive at grossly excessive speed.”
Investigating officer DC Greg Brown said, “I want to thank the witnesses who provided evidence in this case, which helped secure these convictions.
“Our thoughts remain with Kevin’s family who have shown dignity throughout this process.
“Justin Whelan’s dangerous driving, encouraged by Kayleigh Grant, caused this collision which tragically cost Kevin Jones his life. His death was entirely avoidable.
“The defendants showed a disregard not only for other road users but also for the safety of the four children in their own car.
“Excessive speed remains one of the leading causes of fatal and serious injury collisions on our roads. Surrey Police will continue to proactively target those who choose to take risks and break the law.”
Paying tribute to him, Kevin’s family said, “We are devastated with the loss of Kevin. He was a shining light in our lives, and that light has now been extinguished early by the reckless actions of others.
“Kevin was kind, considerate, supportive without question and was always happy and laughing. He was the true definition of a gentleman, always happy to help and support anyone around him and touched the lives of everyone he met. Our lives are now much darker without him and still miss him terribly.
“We would like to thank family and friends for their support during these dark times, the police who worked tirelessly to bring these offenders to justice, and our Family Liaison Officer for his guidance, help and support through this process.”
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