A driver who was caught downing pints of beer, shots and spirits before fleeing the scene of a catastrophic crash which killed his friend has been jailed.
Ross Neville, 35, drank ‘to excess’ over five hours in Newcastle city centre before getting behind the wheel of his Ford Raptor with Matthew Newton, 28.
Neville careered off the road while attempting to drive the pair home, after being filmed driving dangerously and overtaking vehicles at speed.
Moments before the crash, his vehicle collided with a metal crash barrier on the A69 near Throckley, on the outskirts of Newcastle, and clocked speeds of up to 108mph.
He was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court for 11 years and 11 months after admitting charges including death by dangerous driving.
Matthew, from Carlisle, Cumbria, was pronounced dead at the scene with Neville fleeing the area before police arrived.
Before doing so, he told a wagon driver who came upon the crash that his dying friend was ‘fine’.
Detectives arrested him the following day and trawled through CCTV footage on the night to prove that he was over the drink drive limit at the time of the crash.
The pair pictured drinking heavily before the deadly crash
Moments before the crash, Neville’s vehicle was clocking speeds of up to 108mph
Neville then walked away from the crash and fled the scene – leaving his friend for dead
They discovered that Neville had been drinking pints of beer, shots and spirits in a city centre bar with Matthew for five hours.
Sergeant Greg Huntley of Northumbria Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: ‘This was a shocking incident – with Neville driving so dangerously and recklessly that he killed his friend Matthew.
‘Worse still, he then went on to tell the HGV driver who came across the crash that his friend was fine, before shamelessly fleeing the scene.
‘It is clear to me that Neville was not a good friend – and he only had himself in mind that evening as he left Matthew with unsurvivable injuries in his car.’
He added: ‘Despite the challenges faced in the early stages of the investigation, we were able to trawl CCTV and financial data to piece together Neville’s actions.
‘From this, we know that he consumed alcohol to the excess in Newcastle city centre before getting back in his pick-up truck to drive them home.
‘He thought by running away he could hide how much he had drank – but thanks to tireless work by officers we proved this in other ways.’
Neville, of Canonbie, Dumfriesshire, who also admitted driving without insurance, was handed a seven-year driving ban to commence upon his release from prison.
Matthew’s mother Anna spoke of her family’s pain of losing their first-born child.
She said: ‘November 28, 2024 will always be the date that broke my heart and changed my life forever. My life as I knew it ended that day to be replaced with the mere existence I live with now.
‘I never thought I would ever be in a position to know what losing a child felt like.
‘We have been robbed of Matthew’s future in the most traumatic, horrific way, with so many things stolen from us, seeing what he would have become, seeing him get married, having children of his own and watching him proudly as he fulfilled his dreams.
‘lnstead, we now have to live with this void in our lives and also watch his brother, sister and grandparents heartbroken trying to adjust to a life without him.
‘Life is hard now, a daily struggle filled with a constant overwhelming sadness, my heart aches every waking minute and the feeling of loss is painfully unbearable.’
She added: ‘Matthew was the most beautiful person, had the absolute best of friends, lived at home with us, would do anything for anyone, built up a successful business and was simply loved by everyone who knew him, he had the brightest smile and lit up every room he walked in to.
‘At 28 years old he should have had his whole future ahead of him, now all I’m left with is an empty chair.’
Sergeant Huntley added: ‘As ever, our thoughts firmly remain with all of Matthew’s loved ones as they continue to navigate a life without him.
‘While no result will take away their anguish, I hope they feel a sense of comfort knowing Neville will spend a lengthy spell in prison.’
Referring to Neville’s behaviour after the crash, Judge Edward Bindloss told the defendant: ‘You took no steps to help him. You didn’t even ring 999 for your friend. You did nothing for him.
‘You were looking after yourself. You wanted to get away from the scene and perhaps wait for a time so that the alcohol that was in your blood had left your body.’
