‘A mum’s hopes and dreams for the future were cruelly extinguished by you’

Halliwell, of Harvey Avenue, Earlestown, St Helens[5], at first claimed he had been travelling "around 60mph" and that the crash had occurred as a result of him "executing an emergency manoeuvre". He later pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Sentencing him, Judge Steven Everett said: "On July 21 2023 on what appeared to be a sunny, pleasant day, you were driving your Ferrari ridiculously fast on a dual carriageway that was busy enough with other people. What I saw on the video was how many cars arrived shortly after this terrible crash, and the hold-up on the slipway that the woman was driving on, and on the road itself.

There were other vehicles around, and this car can drive at speeds that should never be driven on any public road.

"You decided to show off to your passenger. It's not clear what your actual speed was, but I'm quite sure it was well in excess of 100mph. When you went past that lorry, it was like a rocket going past.

"Tragically for the woman and her baby and their immediate family, and all of their other family, she happened to be driving down that slip road, intending to join the dual carriageway as you were speeding along it.

"There was a BMW car which was faultless.

In fact the BMW did what many cars do. The driver started to move across to allow those who were coming from the slip road to join the road. That driver wasn't to know that you were coming up behind him or her as ridiculously fast as you were, and you gave no thought to that.

You knew the road. You have sped on it before.

"You gave no thought and you just carried on in a selfish and arrogant way, giving no thought to anybody but yourself and the thrill seeking you wanted to get, showing off this vehicle

"The woman tried to drive onto the dual carriageway but she didn't get there. When the BMW started to edge to the right... it looks like you were trying to undertake him.

You lost control, you skidded off to the left and then you hit the woman's Ford motorcar.

"We have all seen the aftermath of that terrible crash. It's astonishing nobody died. Absolutely astonishing.

But that will be no comfort whatsoever to that mother and her children.

"Her pride and joy and love that she would have felt for that little boy for both her children would have been huge. Taking him out strapped into his car seat, driving perfectly competently, suddenly all her hopes and cherished dreams for the future were cruelly extinguished by you.

"It's an interesting fact that if somebody had died, I would now be passing a sentence of between eight and 18 years. But here somebody's life - more than one person - has been affected in a catastrophic way.

That little boy will never be able to have a normal childhood or adulthood. His mum will never have a normal motherhood in the sense she will see him growing up in the way she would want him to.

"His older sister - I have seen the photographs of her proudly holding onto that little boy, and it's clear they have huge love and affection for him. But at the same time the effect on their lives, their family and of course the baby boy will never go away.

They may be able to deal with it in a better way but it will never be better, and that's as a result of what you did. He'll need 24/7 care for the rest of his life."

Sophia Dowers, defending, said: "I begin with the most important submission that the defendant wishes me to convey to the court, but mostly to the baby's mother and family, and that's how sorry he is for what has has done. To use the defendant's own words, he recognises his actions have destroyed the lives of the baby and his family, and their suffering is nothing short of heart-wrenching, and he would do anything to end all the hurt that he has done.

"The realisation of the consequences of his actions left him inconsolable and he's utterly devastated by what he has done.

He struggles to sleep at night his remorse is sincere and in his family's view immeasurable, and that is a theme seen in the letters of support of him.

"The damage, as you know, has been done and it will lie on his conscience for the rest of his days, far beyond whatever sentence the court could impose."

Judge Steven Everett sentenced Halliwell to 32 months in prison and disqualified him from driving for five years, with an extension of 16 months.

The driving ban will not start until Halliwell leaves prison.

Cheshire Police was approached for a mugshot of Halliwell, but a spokesman said they did not have one.

References

1. ^ Daniel Halliwell, 35, was driving at speeds of up to 136mph (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
2. ^ Yesterday, when the horrors of Halliwell's crimes were heard at Chester Crown Court, (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
3. ^ 'Selfish' Ferrari driver crashed into mum and three-week-old baby at over 100mph (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
4. ^ Tragic schoolgirl, 12, who took her own life 'could no longer see beauty in herself' (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
5. ^ St Helens (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)