Crash suspects immune from prosecution after blunder

Martin Slack

THREE men suspected of being involved in a horrific car crash which left a teenage girl fighting for her life will never face charges because of a blunder by prosecution lawyers.

Becky Jones was waiting at a bus stop near her home in Stainforth, Doncaster, in December 2008 when she was hit by a car, leaving her in a coma with severe brain injuries.

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Now 17, she has recovered enough to be able to take up a floristry course at Doncaster College but her mother Samantha Bowman said she will never fulfil her potential.

Three men from Stainforth were arrested by police after appeals were made in the community for information. They refused to tell officers who had been driving the car.

Brendan McCardle, 23; Ricky Davies, 19; and Brett May, 19; were to stand trial last December but Crown Prosecution Service lawyers dropped the case.

The CPS said there was insufficient evidence but were then asked to examine the case again by police. That process took so long, however, that legal time limits for a prosecution ran out.

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Mrs Bowman, 40, said: “We thought the case might finally come to court this year but a police officer came to the house on Bank Holiday Monday and said it would never happen. We just felt utter disgust. The CPS has totally, totally let us down.”

She added: “We just can’t get away from the feeling that whoever was driving that car is still out there and they have completely got away with it.”

The family had to move away from Stainforth after Becky became frightened of walking down the street.

South Yorkshire chief Crown prosecutor Naheed Hussain apologised to the family but said the time limit for restarting the case had passed.

“We are sincerely sorry for this error of judgment.”

Comment: Page 12.

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