Botchergate crash trial: Jail term looms for driver

Owen Luke Brown, 19, was told by a judge at Carlisle Crown Court he could be jailed after admitting two offences arising out of a shocking collision on Botchergate involving his Ford Fiesta, a taxi and several members of the public stood on a pavement.

This occurred outside the Border Rambler pub at around 7pm on September 15 last year.

A Cumbria police spokesman said in the aftermath that several pedestrians suffered “varying degrees of injury”.

Two Whitehaven men - one aged in his 20s and another in his 50s - sustained serious injuries. Four other people, including a Carlisle pensioner, reportedly suffered minor injuries.

Brown had previously denied causing serious injury to both Adam Bunting and Glen O’Fee by dangerous driving, and was due to stand trial this week. But Brown admitted both offences when he appeared before Judge David Potter yesterday.

During the same hearing, Skoda Octavia taxi driver Stephen Reay, 57, admitted careless driving.

Paul Tweddle, defending, said of Brown: “He is a 19-year-old young man - 18 at the time - and is from a good family background.

“He has constantly worked since leaving school and is able

to produce references in due course.

“I would ask your honour to adjourn the case for those to be produced, and to enable the probation service to produce a detailed pre-sentence report in support of this young man, whose life, so far, has been exemplary.”

Mr Tweddle conceded: “He has affected the lives of Mr Bunting, Mr O’Fee and others as a result of what he has done.”

Judge Potter ordered background reports on both men, and adjourned the case for sentence to November 8.

Brown, of Dalston Road, Carlisle, and Reay, of Cocklakes Cottages, Cumwhinton, were granted bail in the meantime.

But Judge Potter, who imposed an interim driving ban on Brown, told the teenager all sentencing options would be available, adding: “Foremost in the court’s mind will be immediate imprisonment.”