A TEENAGE driver who killed two grandmothers while he was high on nitrous oxide dramatically changed his plea to guilty on the first scheduled day of trial.
William Thompson was jailed for nine years and 10 months for two counts of causing death by dangerous driving at Luton Crown Court on Friday, May 18.
In April, the 18-year-old, of The Pony Trap, Marrow Way, Weston Turville, in Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to causing the collision, which occurred on the A41 northbound, just after the Berkhamsted junction, last year.
William Thompson was 17 at the time of the crash (Pictures: Hertfordshire Police)The court was told that just before 11.30pm on Sunday, May 7, 2017, a number of witnesses saw a Peugeot Expert Pro van being driven in a ‘stupidly fast and aggressive’ manner along the A41.
Minutes later the van, with Thompson at the wheel, attempted an overtake from the left lane to the right, but in doing so struck the rear of a Nissan Micra.
Two of the passengers were Jean Malone, aged 76, and her 66-year-old friend Mary Davis (nee Bohan) – who were from Moycullen, in Co. Galway, but had been living in Britain for many years.
Mrs Davis, a mother-of-four and grandmother-of-four, lived in Stoke Mandeville at the time of the incident, but had previously spent many years living in Cricklewood, north London.
Mrs Malone was a mother-of-three and grandmother-of-two.
Her son Mark, who survived, was driving the two women home from a pensioners’ bingo club, which they ran together in Hendon, north London, at the time of the accident - which saw Thompson’s van plough into them, causing their car to flip several times before landing on the carriageway.
“Sadly both Jean and Mary suffered injuries that proved fatal at the scene,” a Hertfordshire Police spokesperson confirmed.
Mary Davis, who hailed from Moycullen in Co. Mayo, had four children and four grandchildren“The driver, a man, suffered minor injuries that required hospital treatment,” they added.
Thompson, who was 17 at the time and had been driving for less than six months, sustained a cut to his arm and was escorted to hospital by officers for treatment before being arrested on suspicion of causing two deaths by dangerous driving.
A number of canisters containing nitrous oxide – more commonly known as laughing gas – were found both in Thompson’s van and on the carriageway, along with a number of balloons, police confirm.
Several witness accounts stated that Thompson drove past them with the van’s interior light on, meaning they were able to see him holding a balloon to his mouth and inhaling the gas as he passed them.
It is estimated that his van was travelling between 78mph and 91mph at the time of the collision on the 60mph road.
“Following a detailed investigation, officers concluded that there were no other contributory factors to the collision other than Thompson’s manner of driving and the fact he was inhaling nitrous oxide at the wheel,” the police spokesperson explained.
“The weather was fine and dry with good visibility and both the Micra and the van were subsequently examined for possible mechanical defects, of which there were none. Both Jean and Mary were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision.”
PC Andy Ralph, who investigated the incident alongside colleague and Investigator David McGorrell, added: “This was a highly distressing incident for all involved and one that would have been completely avoidable had Thompson made a different decision that night.
Jean Malone's son Mark was driving when their car was hit by Thompson“There is never an excuse for driving under the influence of any substance that could impede your ability behind the wheel.
“To lose a loved one in any circumstance is unthinkable, but in this situation it is especially heart-breaking.
“Thompson’s stupidity has taken the lives of two wonderful ladies who were on their way home from running their regular bingo night in Hendon when the collision occurred.
“Now those who have been left behind will have to deal with a lifetime of emotional suffering.
“I know nothing will bring Jean and Mary back, but I hope seeing Thompson put behind bars will help their families gain some sort of closure on what has been an extremely traumatic time for them.”
Thompson has also been banned from driving for six and a half years.
