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A teenage driver has been sentenced to more than five years in prison after admitting to causing the death of his 17-year-old passenger in a high-speed crash on the M65 in Lancashire.
Leon Callaghan, 19, received a sentence of five years and three months at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. The fatal collision claimed the life of Demi-Leigh Davies, 17, from Darwen, in the early hours of 2 October 2024.
According to Lancashire Police, the crash occurred at around 3:40 a.m. near Burnley when Callaghan attempted a late maneuver to rejoin the M65 from the exit lane at Junction 9 while traveling at approximately 113mph (182 km/h).
Investigators said the Seat Ibiza spun across three lanes of traffic before slamming into the central reservation and overturning several times. Demi-Leigh suffered catastrophic injuries and later died in hospital.
Two other passengers—a 17-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman—were seriously injured in the crash but have since recovered. Callaghan also sustained significant injuries.
In a moving victim impact statement presented to the court, Demi-Leigh's mother, Gemma, described the devastating impact her daughter's death has had on the family.
She said her daughter's future had been "stolen," leaving the family to face a lifetime of grief. Gemma spoke of the milestones Demi-Leigh would never experience, including building a career, falling in love, getting married, and starting a family.
Demi-Leigh had recently been offered her first job at a care home—a role her family believed perfectly matched her kind and caring personality. Her mother said she would have excelled in a profession dedicated to helping others.
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"We have been given a life sentence of grief, and we will carry that burden for the rest of our lives," she said.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a nine-year driving ban, which will begin after Callaghan's release from custody.
The case serves as another stark reminder of the devastating consequences of dangerous and excessive speeding on Britain's roads, with one reckless decision resulting in the tragic loss of a young life and leaving a family facing irreversible heartbreak.
