Teen spared prison after crash killing married couple in Meden Vale

A Warsop teen who lost control of his car in a crash that killed a married couple had only passed his driving test the month before, a court heard.
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Brendon Blake’s silver Renault Clio spun off a bend on Netherfield Lane, in Meden Vale, just after 1pm, on Saturday, October 14, last year.

The car hit Sandra and Michael Dangerfield side-on, as they were returning home to nearby Gleadthorpe Cottages, and they both died at the scene.

Blake, and his two passengers, were uninjured, and the car ended up in a field.

Sandra and Michael DangerfieldSandra and Michael Dangerfield
Sandra and Michael Dangerfield

Andrew Nuttall, mitigating, said Blake was 17 at the time of the crash, and an inexperienced driver, who only passed his test the month before.

He said Blake, who works with mentally disabled people, was “truly distraught and remorseful”, and pledged never to drive again.

“He is never going to get away from the fact that because of a mistake he has made, two people lost their lives,” said Mr Nuttall.

“It is going to be a burden that is going to sit on his shoulder forever.”

Tributes left to the Dangerfields near the scene of the tragedy.Tributes left to the Dangerfields near the scene of the tragedy.
Tributes left to the Dangerfields near the scene of the tragedy.

The court heard the was travelling at 56mph, which was under the speed limit.

The “adverse camber” on that stretch of the road, may have played a part in 12 accidents that have happened there since 2014, Mr Nuttall added.

He said the offence has a starting point of 36 months in prison, but any sentence should be reduced because of his guilty plea, his inexperience, and his remorse.

Mr Nuttall described Michael, 72, and Sandra, 66, as “two delightful, dedicated individuals, who clearly loved each other and lost their lives together.”

“This is a truly tragic case for everybody,” he said. “But it’s not a case where the public should demand he goes to prison immediately.”

Blake, 18, of Fitzherbert Street, Warsop, admitted two counts of causing death by careless driving, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Friday.

Magistrates found the custody threshold had been passed, but the mitigating circumstances allowed them to suspend the sentence.

Blake was handed six months in prison for each of the counts, but they were suspended for 12 months.

He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and ten days of a rehabilitation activity.

He was banned from driving for five years.