Four teens jailed after retired school teacher killed in tragic New Years’ Day crash

Joan Hill, 73, died as her car was struck by the driver of a stolen Ford Kuga who was racing another teenager

19:55, 27 Mar 2025

Four teens have been jailed after a retired school teacher was tragically killed in a fatal crash as drivers raced one another on New Year's Day.

Joan Hill, who was 73 and from Rugeley, died on the A5 near Longford Island on January 1, 2023 when her car was struck by a driver racing in a stolen Ford Kuga.

The driver of the Kuga, 19-year-old Aiden Adams, was racing the driver of a stolen Ford Focus when he sped onto the roundabout and hit the passenger side of Joan's car where she was sitting.

Bryan Micklewright, 19 and of no fixed address, was driving the Ford Focus when it paused at the roundabout and picked up the Kuga driver and his passenger following the crash.

An unmarked police car nearby attended and attempted to pursue the Focus - but it was later found burned out in the Walsall[2] area.

The four teens involved, including the two drivers and their two passengers, were jailed at Warwick Crown Court today, Thursday, March 27.

Adams was today jailed for nine years and three months after he previously admitted causing death by dangerous driving, three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, making off without payment, theft of a pedal cycle, attempted theft of a pedal cycle and two counts of theft from the person of another.

Micklewright was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment after he previously admitted driving a motor vehicle dangerously, three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, burglary other than dwelling - theft, making off without payment, theft of a pedal cycle, attempted theft of a pedal cycle and theft from the person of another.

He was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving at Coventry Crown Court in February this year.

A 17-year-old in the passenger seat of the Kuga, who cannot be named but is from Walsall, was jailed for three years and one month after he previously admitted aggravated vehicle taking, three counts of theft of a motor vehicle, making off without payment and theft from the person of another.

The 17-year-old passenger of the Ford, also from Walsall, was sentenced to a two-year youth rehabilitation order with intense supervision after he admitted theft of a motor vehicle, theft of a pedal cycle, theft from the person of another and making off without payment.

He was found guilty of aggravated vehicle taking at Coventry Crown Court in February this year. All four were disqualified from driving.

Detective Inspector Ian Pickstock, who led the investigation, said: "Joan's family have been left completely devastated by what happened to them.

"This result will not cure their pain, but I do hope it has given them a sense of closure now that they know those responsible have rightfully been brought to justice for their senseless actions.

"This has been a real team effort to investigate. Every single officer and member of staff that has worked on this had Joan's family at the forefront of their minds."

He continued: "We have done this for them, and our thoughts are still very much with them at this time.

DC Zoe Williamson was the officer in the case, she has worked tirelessly on the investigation, she has taken this particularly harrowing case through to its conclusion and supported the Crown Prosecution Service in securing successful convictions against all four suspects on all counts.

"I'd like to thank every single person who got in touch with information around who was responsible for this at the time.

Everyone has helped in their own way to deliver an outcome for a family that are still coming to terms with such a sad tragedy."

References

1. ^ Family members jailed over GBP4m racket run from 'garages and garden sheds' (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
2. ^ Walsall (www.birminghammail.co.uk)