Driver jailed for killing his pals in horror smash

Taken: Matthew Wilson (left) and Ian Broadhurst died because of Cawley’s driving.

Timothy Cawley was handed the decade-long sentence at Leeds Crown Court over the death of Ian Broadhurst and Matthew Wilson.

The 35-year-old car dealer also seriously injured two other passengers and the driver of another car during the incident on Bradford Road, East Ardsley, on June 26, 2019.

Leeds Crown Court heard how the fatal collision was “almost inevitable” after Cawley showed a “flagrant and repeated disregard for the rules of the road”.

Timothy Cawley, 35, of Westerton Road, Tingley, was jailed for ten years for causing the deaths of two of his friends in a horrific car crash in Leeds.

Mr Broadhurst, 34, and Mr Wilson, 26, died at the scene of the crash after suffering catastrophic injuries when Cawley drove into the back of a Ford Focus as he tried to overtake the vehicle at speed in his VW Golf.

Cawley’s vehicle was then thrown into the path of an oncoming Mercedes.

The Golf went into the air after being struck by the Mercedes and span before coming to rest.

Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, said Cawley had driven dangerously for five-and-a-half miles prior to the collision which happened around 6.30am, including narrowly avoiding a head-on crash into a lorry on Horbury Road in Wakefield.

Cawley also claimed to have no memory of the collision or where they had been before the incident.

Ms Pearson said father-of-two Cawley was living in East Ardsley at the time of the crash and may have been driving to his home.

Cawley, of Westerton Road, Tingley, admitted to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, three of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and one of possession of cocaine.

He has two previous convictions for drink driving.

James Lake, mitigating, said: “He will have to suffer the consequences and bear the burden of causing the deaths of these two young men long after he is released from custody. He is devastated by what he has done.”

Sentencing, Judge Robin Mairs told Cawley: “This was not a momentary lapse in driving standards. You showed contempt for the safety of pedestrians, road users and even the safety of those in your own car. You drove with complete contempt for the lives of others.”