Towyn: Man climbs inside speed camera and flashes cars

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Leo Meek, who “took out” Jack Jones, has been sentenced to 40 months in prison after killing the 15-year-old. Mr Meek was driving a Volkswagen Tiguan on Manor Drive at around 9.40pm on April 26 when he hit the teenager.

Jack, from Moreton, was cycling to his aunt’s house after spending the evening watching a film with his little brother.

Mr Meek, 22, left the teenager with fatal head and neck injuries while speeding at between 53 and 55mph on a 30mph residential road.

He then fled the scene and didn’t apply his brakes, before later ditching his friend’s dad’s car.

Mr Meek then took a taxi home, where he went to bed after midnight.

Peter Hussey, prosecuting on Monday at Liverpool Crown Court, said Jack was riding a yellow and white Carrera bicycle on Manor Drive.

At the same time, a private hire car happened to be driving southward.

The private hire driver passed Jack on the opposite side of the road moments before he was struck by the Volkswagen which was “driven at speed by the defendant”.

Mr Hussey said: “It is unlikely Jack knew what happened.”

He added that Jack was given “little if any room” and there was “inevitable danger of collision”.

Continuing his remarks, Mr Hussey said Mr Meek “carried on driving at speed” despite the obvious nature of the collision.

In a letter to the judge, Mr Meek accepted “full responsibility” and said there was “no excuse” for the harm he had caused.

He told the judge he “panicked” and said he was a newly qualified driver.

Bernice Campbell, defending Mr Meek, read his letter which said: “I understand I’m going to receive a lengthy sentence.

“That is the least I deserve as no amount of time will change what has happened for the Jones family.”

Mr Meek has eight previous convictions, including in March 2018 where he was the passenger in a car that was driven dangerously.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC, sentencing, said the most likely explanation for the collision was Mr Meek “simply gave him little or no room as you were overtaking him”.

He added: “This was very bad driving in any view and Jack and his family have paid a terrible price…”

The judge said his failure to stop was “cowardly and callous” adding “you were then only concerned about yourself”.

In conclusion, the judge found the case to fall “somewhere towards the bottom” of level two in the sentencing guidelines, the starting point for which is five years with a range of between four and seven years.

Judge Menary said a pre-sentence report described him as “somewhat immature” and noted he was a “relatively new driver with limited experience”.

He jailed Meek for three years and four months, which was reduced from five years to reflect his guilty plea.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Drew added that no sentence for Mr Meek “can repair the devastation of what happened” for Jack’s family.

He then said: “I hope Meek’s sentence gives him time to reflect on the consequences of his actions.

“I would also like to pay tribute to Jack’s family for the courage and dignity they have shown throughout this process, and also to the team of officers who brought Meek to justice so swiftly.

“At Merseyside Police our priority is to keep our communities safe and to prosecute any driver who puts the lives of others at risk.

“Every fatal collision impacts upon the lives of so many people, and we’re committed to reducing such incidents and putting those who drive dangerously before the courts.”

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