‘Travesty’: Dead soldier’s sister to face court over crash that killed second sibling

Rosie-Ann Stone, the sister of Pte Gregg Stone, who was shot dead by insurgents in Helmand province last June, is due to appear before Bridlington magistrates next month on a charge of causing death by careless driving.

It follows the death of her 28-year-old sister Jennie in a collision on the A165 in East Yorkshire earlier this year.

Last night her devastated family said it was an “absolute travesty” the 20-year-old, who was driving the other car involved in the crash, was facing court.

Her mother Angie Stone said the Crown Prosecution Service, which concluded charges should be brought, had “totally disregarded” the family’s 
views.

Mrs Stone said: “They didn’t take any notice of what we said. This is not going to achieve anything at all, no good outcome whatsoever.

“Jennie adored Rosie and if she was here now she would be absolutely disgusted.

“Even Jennie’s son Charlie knew Rosie was in the other car and he said to us ‘I don’t want anything to happen to you, Rosie. I don’t want you to go to court and get in trouble.’

“There is nothing to be achieved apart from destroying the family even more. I thought the CPS was human. Enough, enough, the family have suffered enough.”

The Crown Prosecution Service said it was aware “of the incredibly emotive circumstances” but had decided the prosecution was in the public interest.

Jennie had been driving a Peugeot 206 towards Bridlington when she was in collision with a Vauxhall Astra before crashing into a tree. According to police at the time, both cars were travelling in the same direction and were trying to overtake a truck which was also travelling north.

Catherine Ainsworth, District Crown Prosecutor with CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “Rosie-Ann Stone has been reported for summons for driving without due care and causing a fatality.

“We are aware of the incredibly emotive circumstances of this case but must adhere to the Code for Crown Prosecutors which requires our lawyers to consider two things.

“The first is whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. Where this is met, and it is in this case, we must consider whether it is in the public interest to prosecute.

“To make this decision we have sought the views of all parties including the Stone family and Jennie’s immediate family.

“Taking into account all of the information available to us at this time, we have concluded it is in the public interest to prosecute Rosie-Ann.”

Pte Stone, who was 20, had been serving his first tour of duty with 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, and was part of a task force that rescued a local man who was going to be executed by insurgents. An inquest in May found he had been unlawfully killed.