Driver jailed after crash killed friend in Wolverhampton

Tyrone Barnes, 29, killed his front seat passenger Ethan Mornan-Jones when the VW Golf he was driving collided with a BMW X5 on August 22.

Barnes, of Skidmore Avenue, Wolverhampton, previously admitted causing the death of Mr Mornan-Jones by dangerous driving on Finchfield Road.

He also admitted driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and without insurance.

The court heard other drivers had seen Barnes driving at speeds of between 70 and 90mph prior to the collision, while overtaking vehicles.

One road user said he was driving at such speed, they described it as a ‘whoosh of air’ when he passed.

Barnes hit a central bollard which sent the car into the air, before colliding with the BMW. One witness described it as like a scene 'out of a movie'.

Mr Mornan-Jones was pronounced dead at the scene near Bantock Park, while Barnes was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries to his leg and pelvis.

A mother and her three children aged 17, eight and 11-months-old, who were travelling in the BMW, were also taken to hospital.

Prosecutor Nigel Stelling said the impact of the collision had caused the baby car seat to flip upside down.

Mr Stelling, said: "The defendant was seen by a number of other drivers driving at a grossly excessive speed while attempting to overtake three vehicles.

"Both children in the rear of the BMW were in their appropriate child seats thankfully.

"There was nothing the BMW driver could do to avoid the collision.

"Fortunately, neither children in the rear of the vehicle had any significant injury.

"The 17-year-described feeling in pain all over with bruising and burns to his wrist. The mother suffered a broken right hand and bruising to her chest and abdomen.

"The medical cause of death for Mr Mornan-Jones was determined as multiple traumatic injuries as a result of a road traffic collision. He had an extensive fracture to the base of his skull."

The court heard that a 'golf ball size' of class A drugs were discovered in the VW Golf as well as some cash – and there was a strong smell of cannabis coming from the car.

Defending, Paul Kilty, said: "Ethan was an extremely close friend of the defendant, he knew him for some 18 months and the last four weeks he classed him as a best friend.

"It was a series of dangerous manoeuvres in a short space of time coupled with excessive speed with tragic consequences."

In a victim impact statement read out in court by Mr Mornan-Jones sister, Alexia, she said it was 'impossible to put into words' the loss the family felt without 'their beloved Ethan'.

She said: "As a family we will never see Ethan's ambitions in life, getting married or having children. Ethan's nephew and niece have been denied the opportunity of having their uncle in their life."

In the statement his mother Nadine said: "His personality was larger than life, his sharp quick wit and sense of humour – when he laughed it seemed everyone laughed along with him.

"A mother should not have to bury her child, it should be the other way around. I can only hope he felt no pain. He did not deserve a death like this.

"I am serving a life sentence without Ethan."

The court was told Barnes was also in breach of a six-month suspended sentence, imposed in 2017 for possession of class A drugs.

Barnes, who appeared via video-link, also has a number of previous convictions dating back to 2003 for offences including robbery, attempted robbery, criminal damage, possession of drugs and public order offences.

In sentencing, Judge Mark Wall QC, said there was no reason for the collision other than 'appalling driving'.

At Birmingham Crown Court on Friday he was sentenced to eight years in prison for causing death by dangerous driving and his six month suspended sentence was activated to run consecutively.

Judge Wall said: “You only had a provisional driving licence with already eight points on. You were driving the car at a very high speed, estimated by a number of road users somewhere in the range of 70 to 90mph. You then started to pull onto the wrong side of road to overtake vehicles travelling slower on a number of occasions.

"You were travelling 49 mph at the point of impact. You had a passenger in car, a young man Ethan – he sustained serious injuries and died at the scene as a result of your actions.

"I am aware in passing sentence – nothing I can do can return Ethan to his family."

Barnes was also banned from driving for a total of nine years and three months – and must pass an extended driving test. There was no separate penalty imposed for the other offences.