A reader sent me the link for this story. Daniel Brownlee, 19, has admitted causing death by dangerous driving. It happened in North Shields, where Brownlee got up to speeds of around 104mph. His victim was Roy Toogood, 66.
Sentence will be passed in mid-September, but another interesting detail to the story (as pointed out by the reader who provided the link) is that Brownlee’s father was also in the dock. He is charged with making a false statement in order to get insurance for the vile scumbag who passes as his son.
I won’t pass comment on that yet, as the charges are still “allegations”.
I was thinking something yesterday, though. In fact, when I’m driving around I often start thinking about this kind of thing. There’s me and a pupil in a positive, life-enhancing situation (driving lesson) – but look out of the window and I see what could easily be part of a parallel universe. Dirty-looking, unshaven, hoodie-wearing people on bikes, hanging into car windows, or carrying open cans of Special Brew. It’s where they come from which can easily throw up people like the Brownlees (certainly the son, and allegedly the father).