Drivers who should never have got behind the wheel

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Tragically, some of these deaths were not simply accidents, but the result of dangerous or careless driving. From drug use and excessive speed to eyesight problems, these reckless drivers all failed to take proper care on the roads - with fatal results. Here are nine killer drivers who were jailed after appearing in Liverpool Crown Court this year.

Connor Mears

Audi driver Mears was "off his box" on crack cocaine^[5] when he smashed into the back of an Uber at 90mph on The Strand. The Uber then crashed into a bench near to the Liver Building, where homeless man Robert Williams had been sleeping in the early hours of October 7, 2023.

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The 44-year-old was seriously injured in the crash, and died in hospital a week later. Mears callously fled the scene of the collision and was not apprehended until the following day - when he attended A&E and said he had been "on a mad one".

Mears, 28, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving while uninsured, failing to stop after an accident and driving while unfit through drugs. He was jailed for 12 years in January.

Kevin Marsh

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Kevin Marsh drank gin and snorted cocaine hours before getting behind the wheel^[6] of his Ford Fiesta and crashing into a bin lorry on Broad Oak Road, St Helens^[7], on July 5 2023.

His partner Michelle Atherton, 47, died in the crash^[8]. Cowardly Marsh, 43, attempted to pin the blame on his victim by claiming she had grabbed the wheel moments before the crash, but was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial^[9] at Liverpool Crown Court^[10]. He admitted the lesser charge of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs.

The father-of-three stood with his head bowed and appeared emotional as he was jailed for 16 years by Judge David Aubrey KC in January this year.

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Glyn Jones

Glyn Jones, 67, was repeatedly warned that he was not fit to drive before he knocked down and killed two grandmas. Jones had been had more than 10 years previously that he had a degenerative eye condition which meant that his vision was "well below the standard required" to drive.

He was driving his Audi A3 along Lulworth Road in Birkdale^[11] shortly after 4.30pm on November 30 2021 when he crashed into Marie Cunningham, 79, and Grace Foulds, 85, who had been making their way home from an afternoon social club.

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Jones, of Blackgate Lane in Tarleton, West Lancashire, admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was jailed for seven years and four months and banned from driving for a total of nine years and 10 months in January this year.^[12]

Mohamed Mahari

A "dignified and elegant" 92-year-old woman who "valued her independence" was killed by a careless driver on her way to church. Mary Grazulis was crossing the road at the junction of Catherine Street and Canning Street in Liverpool's Georgian Quarter when she was hit by Mohamed Mahari^[13] at around 5.45pm on December 3 2023.

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The 33-year-old, also known as Saddam Fadhlallah Zakaria Mahari, was a driver for JustEat and Deliveroo and was on his way from a delivery on nearby Percy Street when he crashed into the elderly woman, who was walking with the aid of a rollator.

Mahari, of Rowan Avenue in Bristol, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and causing death by driving while uninsured. He was jailed for seven months in March.

Leo Meek

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A man who mowed down and killed a 15-year-old boy was jailed again after leading police on a 100mph chase in a stolen car. Leo Meek, 25, of no fixed abode, killed schoolboy Jack Jones in April 2021^[14] while speeding at 55mph on a 30mph road. Jack, 15, from Moreton, had been cycling to his aunt's house after spending the evening watching a film with his little brother.

Meek was given a 40-month sentence for causing death by dangerous driving and disqualified from driving for three years from the date of his release. In 2018, he was again sentenced to six months^[15] in prison, suspended for two years, after he was involved in a police chase which saw the driver reach speeds of 110mph in a stolen car before smashing into an officer’s vehicle in the Birkenhead^[16] tunnel.

On July 19 last year, he stole a white BWM M135i and led police on a reckless 100mph car chase through Cheshire. He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on May 23 2024, where he was jailed for 22 months for dangerous driving and handling stolen goods^[17], and disqualified from driving for 47 months.

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Haydn Patterson

Patterson, of Barons Close in Widnes^[18], was out with his friend Kevin Viles, 41, at a pub on Monday, October 17 2022. The friends spent around two hours in the Widnes pub, before leaving at around 5.40pm in Patterson’s Mini Cooper.

The 30-year-old drove towards Runcorn, travelling over the Mersey Gateway bridge and onto the Central Expressway. At around 5.55pm, Patterson turned onto the Southern Expressway, where he lost control of the car and crashed. He then climbed out of the wreckage and fled the scene, leaving Mr Viles seriously injured inside the car. He was taken to hospital, where he died a month later.

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Patterson pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the drug drive limit (cocaine and cannabis), and was sentenced to nine years in prison in January 2024. He also admitted possession of class A drugs (cocaine) and possession of class B drugs (cannabis).

Craig Griffiths

Craig Griffiths, 36, of Frinsted Road in Norris Green^[19], was 10mph over the speed limit when he hit 13-year-old Harry Kinney-Ryan^[20] on East Lancashire Road^[21], close to the Showcase Cinema, on December 7, 2022.

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Harry was on his way home after he had been to buy some sweets from a nearby petrol station when he ran across the dual carriageway and was hit by Griffiths' silver Vauxhall Astra at around 7.20pm. He died in hospital two days later from his injuries.

Griffiths appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, July 12,^[22] where he pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was jailed for 12 months.

References

1. ^{^} The latest Government report (www.gov.uk)
2. ^{^} 'Tough consequences' Daniel Gee will face for two years after month on the run (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Symptoms of rare 'silent killer' condition that appear after exercise (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
4. ^{^} More info (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
5. ^{^} Audi driver Mears was "off his box" on crack cocaine (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Kevin Marsh drank gin and snorted cocaine hours before getting behind the wheel (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
7. ^{^} St Helens (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
8. ^{^} His partner Michelle Atherton, 47, died in the crash (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
9. ^{^} following a trial (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
10. ^{^} Liverpool Crown Court (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
11. ^{^} Birkdale (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
12. ^{^} He was jailed for seven years and four months and banned from driving for a total of nine years and 10 months in January this year. (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
13. ^{^} when she was hit by Mohamed Mahari (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
14. ^{^} killed schoolboy Jack Jones in April 2021 (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
15. ^{^} In 2018, he was again sentenced to six months (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
16. ^{^} Birkenhead (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
17. ^{^} He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on May 23 2024, where he was jailed for 22 months for dangerous driving and handling stolen goods (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
18. ^{^} Widnes (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
19. ^{^} Norris Green (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
20. ^{^} Harry Kinney-Ryan (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
21. ^{^} East Lancashire Road (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
22. ^{^} Griffiths appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, July 12, (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)