Girl, 17, and two pals died when ‘speeding teen driver lost control of car after house party and smashed into tree’

A 17-YEAR-OLD miss and her 2 pals died successful a fearfulness clang erstwhile their car mislaid power and smashed into a tree, an inquest heard.

Sophie Bates, 17, Dafydd Huw Craven-Jones, 18, and Morgan Jones, 17, tragically died on May 25 past year.

The clang happened connected a humpback span successful Penkridge, Staffordshire, astatine 11.47pm.

The inquest into their deaths held astatine Stafford Coroners Court heard Dafydd was the operator of the achromatic Ford KA that collided "head-on with an established tree".

Sophie died 3 days aboriginal successful hospital, portion Dafydd and Morgan were declared dormant astatine the scene.

Dafydd went to prime his 3 friends up from a location enactment successful Penkridge and beforehand took a video of himself saying helium drove 90mph successful a 70mph zone.

He had lone been fixed his driving licence six months earlier the clang successful November 2023.

But Dafydd had nary portion oregon drugs successful his strategy and determination is nary grounds helium was utilizing his telephone astatine the clip of the collision, the tribunal heard.

The 4th passenger, Brooke Varley, besides 17 astatine the time, survived.

Although severely injured, Brooke survived the clang and the inquest heard she "regrets" that she did not enactment her seatbelt connected erstwhile she got successful Dafydd's car due to the fact that it was acheronian and she could not find it.

In a connection work retired astatine the coroners court, Brooke described a "rollercoaster feeling successful my tummy" earlier the car swerved and she blacked out.

A tracking app connected rider Brooke Varley's telephone "indicated a maximum velocity of 85mph had been reached astatine immoderate constituent during the 15-minute journey".

In a connection released aft the collision, Brooke, the sole subsister of the crash, said she was "so upset to person mislaid specified astonishing radical from [her] life".

In a tribute to her friends, she said she was "so upset to person mislaid specified astonishing radical from my life".

Brooke added: "Sophie was the kindest idiosyncratic who lived her beingness to the fullest.

"She is my inspiration to get amended and bash everything she didn't get a accidental to do. She volition everlastingly beryllium successful my heart.

"Morgan was 1 of the funniest radical I know. He was ever respectful, benignant and sweet. He ever looked retired for me. 

"Daf had a benignant psyche and loved his friends. I'm reasoning of their families astatine this bittersweet clip and everyone who is affected by this tragic incident."

Assistant coroner Kelly Dixon recorded a abbreviated signifier origin of decease arsenic roadworthy postulation collision.

"As the conveyance travelled implicit a humped backmost span towards Penkridge, astatine speed, it suffered a nonaccomplishment of control," she said.

The inquest heard grounds that Dafydd was wearing his spot loop but Morgan was wearing lone the enarthrosis strap and was sitting connected the thigh loop successful the beforehand rider seat.

Neither Sophie nor Brooke were wearing seatbelts astatine the clip of the collision connected the 60mph road.

Ms Dixon said she was satisfied connected the equilibrium of probability that "inappropriate velocity implicit the humped backmost bridge" caused a nonaccomplishment of control.

There were nary problems with the car that caused the clang and it had been correctly insured and had a afloat MOT, Sergeant Richard Moors from Staffordshire Police added.

The fearfulness clang took spot aft the 2 boys travelled 60 miles from Wrexham, North Wales, to spot the girls for a nighttime out.

Both Dafydd and Morgan were keen rugby players and played for Wrexham RFC's younker team, who described them arsenic "good friends connected and disconnected the tract of play".

'SORELY MISSED'

Sophie's household said their "Princess" would beryllium "sorely missed and loved eternally".

In a moving tribute, Sophie's household said: "Our Princess Sophie, the champion large sister, granddaughter, niece, relative and person to many, was truthful beardown connected the extracurricular but genuinely truthful benignant hearted and thoughtful inside. Full of amusive and beyond witty.

"We were truthful arrogant of the young big Sophie was becoming, with the beingness plans she was putting successful place. 

"Excelling successful assemblage and her enactment placement, afloat of thrust and ambition to person her ain business. Sophie loved her friends and was enjoying embracing her teenage beingness and having the champion time.

"Our darling miss Sophie, volition beryllium sorely missed and loved eternally. Forever successful our hearts, 17 always."

The inquest heard determination person been 3 superior crashes connected the aforesaid roadworthy since 2017, with different fatal clang occurring successful January 2024.

Staffordshire County Highways said determination were nary issues with velocity oregon the roadworthy conditions, but that it would marque changes to heighten the roadworthy markings and the signage.

Ms Dixon demanded to cognize wherefore the changes had not already been made, arsenic she recorded the deaths arsenic being the effect of a roadworthy postulation collision.

She said: "Consideration is being fixed to heighten signage and the roadworthy markings but nary enactment has yet been taken.

"I volition beryllium issuing a prevention of aboriginal deaths study to Staffordshire County Highways successful respect of my concerns."