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Driver in fatal Porsche crash denies showing off
A MAN denied he had been showing off before he crashed a Porsche car, causing the death of a friend who owned the vehicle.
Barry Holmes told a jury at Leeds Crown Court yesterday the last thing he remembered was feeling the rear of the sports car dip on the Drighlington bypass between Leeds and Bradford "and then nothing after that."
The next thing he knew he was sitting on the grass banking beside the road with pain in his head and back.
The jury has heard the Porsche smashed into a lamppost and flipped over three times coming to rest on its roof and trapping the car's owner Richard Whitelock, 21, inside. He suffered fatal injuries.
Holmes accepted he had lied when he denied he was driving the Porsche 911 Carrera at the time of the crash and told his counsel John Elvidge he did not know why he did that.
Holmes, 33, of Chelker House Farm, Addingham, near Ilkley, denies causing the death by dangerous driving of Mr Whitelock of River Place, Gargrave, in July 2006. He has admitted doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice by claiming he was not the driver.
The prosecution allege the vehicle reached a speed of 103mph in a 60mph zone before Holmes lost control.
Holmes told the jury he was a lorry driver and had held a Class One driving licence since he was 21 doing 100,000 miles a year.
He had driven the Porsche once before with Mr Whitelock as the passenger and had no problems.
That night he had been drinking with Mr Whitelock and other friends in the Old Griffin public house in Gildersome. He said he had drunk two pints of lager and a lager shandy.
They were going on to Bradford and Mr Whitelock asked him if he wanted to drive. Holmes said he agreed because he felt "fine" and took the keys.
Holmes said he had no reason to drive very quickly. "We weren't in a rush or anything."
Mr Elvidge said: "It may be suggested you were showing off." Holmes replied: "Not at all."
The trial continues.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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