Driver Thomas Johnson jailed for killing three teenage passengers after inhaling laughing gas at the wheel
A driver who inhaled laughing gas at the wheel has been jailed for nine years and four months after he admitted killing his three teenage passengers in a high-speed crash.
Thomas Johnson, 19, had admitted to taking nitrous oxide through balloons while driving and exceeding speeds of more than 100mph on a road with a speed limit of 30mph.
He pleaded guilty to causing the deaths earlier on Wednesday at Oxford Crown Court.
Addressing Johnson, Judge Emma Nott said his actions were “all for teenage thrills” and he would be “forever defined” by his “teenage mistakes”.
Thomas Johnson
Daniel Hancock, 18, Ethan Goddard, 18, and Elliot Pullen, 17, died in the crash in Marcham, Oxfordshire, in June last year.
Their families have spoken of being “united by grief” by the tragedy and hope the sentence “will serve as a deterrent” to others.
Mobile phone video footage taken inside the BMW 3 series, moments before it crashed, showed the boys laughing and passing nitrous oxide canisters to the front while Johnson had a balloon to his face.
Daniel Hancock
Ethan Goddard
Elliot Pullen
The tyres can be heard screeching as the vehicle drifts around a corner at high speed.
Thames Valley Police also released an ANPR photo of the driver and front passenger with balloons to their mouths.
CCTV footage shows the vehicle overtaking another car at more than 100mph. Police say the vehicle’s electronic stability control had been deliberately switched off.
Read more:
What is nitrous oxide?
How laughing gas addiction ‘messed up’ man’s life
This image from before the crash shows the driver and front passenger with balloons
The wreckage of the BMW 3 series after the crash. Pic: Thames Valley Police/PA
Johnson, who sustained life-threatening injuries in the crash, says he does not remember what happened.
In a police interview afterwards, he revealed he was aware of the risks.
Asked if he had ever taken nitrous oxide, Johnson responded: “No, not this year. I remember doing it once last year with a group of friends before I could even drive but I don’t have any recollection after that.”
Asked if he remembered what the effect of it was, Johnson replied: “It made my head feel dizzy.”
Families hope sentence is ‘deterrent’
Commenting on the case, a joint family statement said: “No amount of imprisonment will bring our sons back home and we take little comfort in the sentencing of someone else’s son.
“However, we do hope that this will serve as a deterrent to other drivers, especially young men.
“If just one person adjusts their attitude to driving, or one person thinks twice about being a passenger along for the ride then there is hope that something good can come out of this tragedy.”
‘Permanent living nightmare’
Elliot Pullen’s parents, Kate and Giles, and his sister Mia issued a separate statement describing their sense of loss and being “united by grief” in what was a “permanent living nightmare”. They said they had been “sucked into a world of grief, sadness and pain”.
Elliot Pullen’s family said they were in a ‘permanent living nightmare’. Pic: Family handout
The parents of Ethan Goddard paid tribute, writing that he “was a fun, loving, kind, generous, caring young lad, always thinking of others, and getting the most out of life”.
They added he “was loved so very much and made his family so proud”.
Ethan Goddard was ‘a fun, loving, kind, generous, caring young lad’. Pic: Family handout
Meanwhile, Daniel Hancock’s family said in a statement he “was truly loved and will always be missed. He was caring, generous and selfless.”
And they issued a warning to other young drivers.
Daniel Hancock died in a ‘completely avoidable crash’. Pic: Family handout
“Daniel died three miles from home in a completely avoidable crash. Please don’t be that driver who shows such disregard for their friends’ lives.”
Detective Sergeant Tony Jenkins, of Thames Valley Police’s serious collisions investigative unit, explained that nitrous oxide impairs a driver’s ability to make decisions.
Read more from Sky News:
MasterChef confirms Wallace replacement
Andrew Tate and brother lose £2.8m tax case
Arrest over killing of Russian general
He warned about the risks of driving while under the influence, especially around Christmas time, when people are in a particularly celebratory mood.
“Any impairment while driving is inherently dangerous. It is reckless,” he told Sky News.
“In this case, the use of nitrous oxide took place over a number of hours and even up to 30 seconds before the crash consumption was taking place.”
The recreational use of nitrous oxide was banned by the government months after Johnson’s car crash but drug driving has long been illegal.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an elderly couple died following a fire at their home in St Helens.
Peter Eric Greener, 77, known as Eric, and his partner Sheila Jackson, 83, were caught in the blaze at their home on South John Street in the early hours of Tuesday.
Mr Greener died on Wednesday, while Ms Jackson died on Thursday.
Eric Greener. Pic: Merseyside Police
Sheila Jackson. Pic: Merseyside Police
Merseyside Police said an accelerant was used to start the fire.
On Sunday, the force said the suspect from St Helens had been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning.
Read more from Sky News:
Man tells of dramatic escape from capsized tourist boat
Catching a ‘sadistic’ serial killer
Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson said: “Although an arrest has been made, I would like to take this opportunity to remind people to pass on information directly to police or anonymously via Crimestoppers, and not to comment or post in any way which jeopardises this ongoing work.”
DS Wilson said “extensive enquiries” continue.
She added: “And to that end we are still appealing for anyone with information to come forward, particularly if you live in the area of South John Street and recall seeing or hearing anything suspicious at around the time of the incident.
“Please do not assume what you know has already been reported to us, as we can quickly make that assessment.”
UK
How e-bike riders are doing double the speed limit – and many of them work for fast food delivery firms
It’s lunchtime on Birmingham’s New Street.
Close to its many restaurants, food delivery riders are congregating on their bikes.
The area is packed with shoppers and workers.
PC Paige Gartlan is approaching with other officers. She’s on the lookout for illegally modified e-bikes – and she knows she’ll find them here.
“You can physically tell by looking at the bike that it’s generally going to be illegal – the battery pack is taped on to the sides and generally the size of the motor that’s on the back wheel,” she explains.
Sky News has been invited on an operation by West Midlands Police to find these bikes and get them off the streets.
PC Gartlan has been hit by one before. She’s had to tackle a rider to the floor after he drove into her.
Within minutes, she’s spotted a suspicious-looking bike. The rider makes a run for it – followed by plain-clothed officers.
PC Gartlan tests the bike – it’s showing a top speed of 52km/hr on the speedometer – just over 30mph.
PC Paige Gartlan with a seized e-bike
The speed limit for e-bikes in the UK is 15.5mph when using electric power for assistance.
I look up the street and another two riders have been detained. In less than an hour, officers have confiscated four bikes – all were being ridden by fast food delivery drivers.
The commotion is attracting a lot of attention.
“They are dangerous,” Sandra, who has just finished work, tells me.
Demoz had his bike taken by police
She’s stood watching the riders being questioned. She says she’s had near-misses herself and is worried for the safety of the elderly and children.
It’s not just West Midlands police officers here – immigration officials are carrying out checks too. They’re involved in a nationwide operation, which has seen more than 7,000 arrests in the last year – a 50% increase on last year.
Matthew Foster, the immigration enforcement lead officer for the West Midlands, tells me they’ve already found one individual who has entered the UK unlawfully.
“He’s been detained,” he says, “to affect his removal from the UK.”
Further down the street, police are loading illegally modified bikes on to a van – they’re destined to be crushed. One of them had belonged to Demoz.
Read more:
Non-folding e-bikes banned on London Tube
E-bike and e-scooter crimes soar 730% in five years
An e-bike seized by West Midlands Police
He’s on his way home, carrying a big box with the logo of one of the main fast food delivery firms on it.
He tells me he used to have an illegal bike, but he thought his new one was legal.
“I make a mistake, I have to say sorry, I will do better for the future,” he says.
I get in touch with the big delivery firms; Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat.
Their representatives say they constantly remind workers of their safety obligations, and that they’re all working closely with the government to increase security checks on riders.
As he leaves, Demoz, now bike-free, tells me he’s thinking of changing his job.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike