Luke Clarke, 21, died when the Renault Clio he was a passenger in left the B1222 at Sherburn-in-Elmet, between Leeds and Selby, and ended up in a water-filled dyke on December 27, 2021.

His friends Liam Beaumont, 23, and Kian Wallis, 22, both from Darfield in Barnsley, were originally charged with causing the death of the young joiner, from Goldthorpe, by dangerous driving and denied the offence.

However, when both appeared again at York Crown Court on February 22 they admitted the lesser count of causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit for alcohol. Beaumont’s blood alcohol level was 90mg and Wallis’s was 102mg. The legal limit is 80mg.

The car landed in Bishop Dyke near Sherburn-in-Elmet

The Crown Prosecution Service indicated they would be likely to formally accept the pleas and a trial will no longer take place.

The hearing was held after the defence’s expert identified a potential defect to a tyre that was a ‘factor’ in the cause of the collision, though it was not entirely to blame.

Beaumont’s counsel added that Luke Clarke was his client’s ‘best friend’ and that he had been trapped in the car with him while he died. A psychological report addressing the impact of the incident on Beaumont is to be prepared.

Beaumont was also given an interim driving ban until both men are sentenced on June 28.

B1222 Sherburn-in-Elmet: Two men admit causing best friend's death in Yorkshire dyke while drink driving