Death prompts road safety warning

23 February 2010
Stacey Cutts died when her boyfriend, Tom Wright, 23, lost control of a car while racing at more than 100mph on the A140 in Norfolk

The death of a woman killed when her driver boyfriend lost control racing at more than 100mph has prompted a warning against dangerous driving from a prosecution lawyer.

The Chief Crown Prosecutor for Norfolk, Andrew Baxter, spoke after Tom Wright was jailed for causing the death of his girlfriend on the A140 at Tasburgh, Norfolk, last April.

Stacey Cutts, of Harleston, Norfolk, died after Wright raced Jake Riseborough, 19, also of Harleston. Wright and Riseborough were each jailed for three-and-a-half years at Norfolk Crown Court after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

"Troubling" figures showed male drivers aged 17 to 25 caused "many accidents", said Mr Baxter. They showed that 35 "young male drivers" were involved in fatal collisions in Norfolk during the last three years. Wright and Riseborough drove at grossly excessive and dangerous speeds, said Mr Baxter.

"They raced at high speed along the A140 overtaking each other until one of them lost control with the terrible consequences for Stacey," said Mr Baxter.

"It seems to be a consistent theme not only in Norfolk but I am sure more widely, that young male drivers between the ages of 17-25 are to blame for many of the accidents which the police have to attend. The consequences are terrible..."

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