Teenage driver sentenced for causing deaths of three people in south Warwickshire crash

Today (Monday April 28), 19-year-old Edward Alwyn Spencer was sentenced to serve two years in a youth offenders institution.

He was sentenced to three counts of 24 months following the death of three fellow pupils in a collision in Shipston on Stour on Friday April 21 2023.

He was also sentenced to three counts of 21 months for seriously injuring three others including two primary aged children. The sentences will run concurrently.

Spencer was the driver of a car containing three other teenagers travelling home from school together – they were all Year 12 (lower sixth) students at Chipping Campden School.

He then lost control of the car and crashed into another car travelling in the opposite direction.

Following the collision, 17-year-old Harry Purcell, 16-year-old Tilly Seccombe and 16-year-old Frank Wormald who were in Edward’s car died as a result of their injuries.

A woman and two children were taken to hospital with serious injuries and they continue to receive ongoing treatment. For the children, this will continue into early adulthood.

Edward Spencer, then 17, passed his driving test five weeks before the incident.

Investigators determined Spencer to be travelling at or around 64mph at the time of the collision. This was too fast for the road and the conditions.

At an earlier court appearance, he pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by careless driving and three counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.

On sentencing Judge Lockhart commented that the value of the children who died was priceless and that any sentence does not and cannot put a value on the lives lost and that the world will be a poorer place for their passing.

Judge Lockhart described Edward Spencer as an irresponsible and inexperienced young driver and he hoped that Edward would acknowledge and reflect on the carnage caused by his foolish actions on that day. It was a heavily laden car with lots of people in which is not something that a new driver has experience of.

He acknowledged the dignity and restraint of the families but also what the first responders had to deal with at the scene of devastation.

Despite Edward Spencer claiming to be a careful driver who would not have been speeding at the time of the crash, the court heard that evidence included disturbing and indisputable material that showed a history of bad driving and showing off.

They also showed that he was a habitual bad driver with a cavalier attitude towards driving and a scant regard for the safety of others.

The judge recognised that whilst the speed of the road was the national speed limit this was a speed limit and not a target and is a very long way from the speed that is safe.

Edward Spencer was also banned from driving for eight years and will be required to take an extended retest to prove his competence before he is able to drive again.

The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Sergeant Stephen Barr said: "This was a truly tragic collision, and our thoughts remain with all those involved and affected by what happened.

"Edward Spencer was an inexperienced driver who made decisions on that day that changed many lives forever. He and all the families affected will have to live with the consequences of what he did for the rest of their lives.

"As this tragic case shows the consequences of careless driving can be devastating.

"Any death is difficult to come to terms with but for three young lives to be lost who each had so much to look forward to is extremely challenging.

"We know this conviction will not bring comfort to the loved ones of the three teenagers who lost their lives as well as those who were seriously injured, but we welcome the Judge’s decision in this matter.”