Footage released of Carl Simpson driving before Lydd crash which killed three
Footage of the moments leading up to a horror crash which killed three people has been released after the driver was jailed today.
Carl Simpson, 36, was more than twice the alcohol limit and driving at 126mph when he caused the smash in Romney Road near Lydd[1].
The crash claimed the lives of his two friends, dad-to-be Jack Ryle-Thompsett, 26, and Michael Phelan, 48. Social worker Sharon Haywood, 58, who was in another car, died after the crash too.
Simpson had visited the Cique Ports pub in New Romney with his two pals, with whom he was working with at Dungeness B power station, on the evening of April 18, 2021.
Later, the three got into his white BMW M135i and left towards Lydd, where Mr Ryle-Thompsett lived, and Simpson and Mr Phelan were staying at a bed and breakfast.
While travelling along the B2075 Romney Road towards the village, witness statements reported seeing the BMW being driven at a “terrifying” speed in the moments leading up to the collision with Sharon Haywood, who was travelling in her Dacia Duster Ambiance in the opposite direction.
He was jailed today at Canterbury Crown Court[2] for causing the crash.
Footage released this evening showed Simpson leaving the pub, and speeding before the crash.
Following an investigation by the serious collision investigation unit, officers were able to piece together the movements of the BMW before the collision.
CCTV footage from a nearby caravan park showed the BMW travelling towards the scene at an average speed of 118mph.
Specialist data analysis was able to determine that at the point the airbags went off, the BMW was driving at a speed of 126mph.
A number of witnesses told officers they had seen the car being driven at high speeds and made reference to their fears of a collision.
One witness described seeing the car veering onto the wrong side of the road and taking a corner at such speed that the wheels left the ground.
The court heard that the Dacia – which had encroached onto the opposite side of the road – was thrown upwards by the force of the collision.
The BMW spun, eventually coming to a rest facing the opposite way that it had come. Mr Ryle-Thompsett and Mr Phelan, who had been in the near-side front and rear passenger seats respectively, were both killed instantly.
Passers-by were able to help Simpson out of the car before it caught fire.
The driver also sustained serious injuries in the crash and was airlifted to hospital.
A blood test found that at the time of the collision was at almost 2.5 times the legal driving limit.
An investigation found that while the Dacia had encroached on the opposite carriageway for an unknown reason, the BMW had been travelling at 124mph in the seconds before the crash, giving Simpson little time to react.
Appearing in court in February of this year, the Durham resident – a father of three himself – initially pleaded not guilty to charges of causing death by dangerous driving, before changing his plea to guilty in May ahead of the trial.
He was remanded in custody to appear before the same court today, where in an emotionally-charged sentencing hearing family members of all three victims took to the stand to tell the court – and Simpson – the damage that their tragic losses had caused.
Taking the stand, Mr Ryle-Thompsett’s partner, Georgina Fletcher, who was more than six months pregnant at the time with their daughter Lila, spoke directly to Simpson.
She said: “You got into that car and you drove at a speed that was completely unacceptable and you killed three innocent people.
“Carl, you came into my house, I washed your clothes and made you comfortable. In return, I have been left with nothing.
“All [Lila] has is photos and videos of her father. What you have done is unforgivable.”
References
- ^ Lydd (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ He was jailed today at Canterbury Crown Court (www.kentonline.co.uk)