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Delivery driver who inhaled laughing gas at the wheel and caused the death of 15-year-old passenger after ploughing through a metal barrier is jailed for seven years

  • Bonney-Rae Barrow suffered horrific injuries in crash off A56 Accrington bypass
  • Cameron Hughes, 24, was using phone to stream music seconds before

By Matt Strudwick[1]

Published: 16:32, 30 October 2023 | Updated: 20:10, 30 October 2023

A delivery driver who inhaled laughing gas from a yellow balloon at the wheel and caused the death of his 15-year-old 'cousin' after ploughing through a metal barrier has today been jailed.

Bonney Barrow suffered horrific injuries when Cameron Hughes, 24, crashed his Mercedes Sprinter into a parapet on a slip road of the A56 Accrington bypass and plunged to the ground below.

Bonney was thrown towards the windscreen. She was placed on life support at Wythenshawe Hospital, in south Manchester, on July 7, where she died the next day.

Hughes had been using his phone to stream music and access Snapchat[2] just seconds before the fatal crash in Huncoat, Lancashire. Neither of them were wearing seat belts.

Today, a judge at Preston Crown Court jailed Hughes, of Haddington Drive, Blackley, north Manchester, to seven and a half years behind bars and described his driving as 'shocking', saying a young life had been 'needlessly wiped out'.

While her grieving mother Sarah Barrow sobbed as she told how her heart stopped beating on the day her 'beautiful' daughter's did, and all Hughes was asked to do was get Bonney home safely.

He was taking her home to have dinner with her family.

Bonney-Rae Barrow, 15, was killed when a Mercedes Sprinter she was a passenger in ploughed into a metal barrier and plunged to the ground on a slip road of the A56 Accrington bypass Bonney-Rae Barrow, 15, was killed when a Mercedes Sprinter she was a passenger in ploughed into a metal barrier and plunged to the ground on a slip road of the A56 Accrington bypass

Bonney-Rae Barrow, 15, was killed when a Mercedes Sprinter she was a passenger in ploughed into a metal barrier and plunged to the ground on a slip road of the A56 Accrington bypass

Cameron Hughes, 24, inhaled laughing gas from a yellow balloon at the wheel of his van and was using his phone to stream music and access Snapchat just seconds before the crash Cameron Hughes, 24, inhaled laughing gas from a yellow balloon at the wheel of his van and was using his phone to stream music and access Snapchat just seconds before the crash

Cameron Hughes, 24, inhaled laughing gas from a yellow balloon at the wheel of his van and was using his phone to stream music and access Snapchat just seconds before the crash

Hughes pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Sentencing, Judge Heather Lloyd said: 'This was quite a shocking piece of driving and a young 15-year-old life has been needlessly wiped out.

'It is a miracle that no other person was wiped out, including yourself.

This was a tragedy waiting to happen.'

During her emotional statement, Ms Barrow told the court Hughes was a family friend who had grown up with Bonney and described her as a 'cousin'.

On July 7, she recalled how she had trusted Hughes to keep her daughter safe on the short journey home.

But at 7.20pm, Hughes left the A56 Accrington bypass at the junction with Burnley Road, in Huncoat.

His Mercedes Sprinter van was travelling between 62mph and 68mph on the 60mph zone and approached the junction at an 'inappropriate speed', the court heard.

Hughes failed to negotiate a left-hand bend and ploughed the van into a parapet over a dirt track.

Hughes, of Haddington Drive, Blackley, north Manchester, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for seven and a half years Hughes, of Haddington Drive, Blackley, north Manchester, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for seven and a half years

Hughes, of Haddington Drive, Blackley, north Manchester, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for seven and a half years

Sentencing at Preston Crown Court (pictured), Judge Heather Lloyd described Hughes' driving as 'shocking' and said a young person's life had been 'needlessly wiped out' Sentencing at Preston Crown Court (pictured), Judge Heather Lloyd described Hughes' driving as 'shocking' and said a young person's life had been 'needlessly wiped out'

Sentencing at Preston Crown Court (pictured), Judge Heather Lloyd described Hughes' driving as 'shocking' and said a young person's life had been 'needlessly wiped out'

The van left the bridge and plunged to the ground below, throwing Bonney-Rae towards the windscreen.

Hughes was recorded inhaling laughing gas from a yellow balloon before the crash.

Bonney, from Blackley, was taken to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and later transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital where she died just before midnight on July 8.

Ms Barrow said: 'Part of my heart stopped beating the day Bonney's heart stopped beating.'

She cried as she said she would never see her daughter finish school, enjoy her prom, learn to drive or start her own family.

She said Bonney and Hughes had a close bond which was full of laughter.

Ms Barrow added: 'All he had to do that day was to be responsible to get Bonney home to our safety but he risked her life with what he did and cost us our beautiful daughter.'

ManchesterSnapchat[3][4]

References

  1. ^ Matt Strudwick (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  2. ^ Snapchat (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  3. ^ Manchester (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  4. ^ Snapchat (www.dailymail.co.uk)

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