Teen joyriders jailed over death of pal in crash (From Sutton Guardian)
Contact us: Got a photo? Text SLPICS to 80360, click to upload your story or call
020 8722 6355
Mitcham joyriders jailed over death of pal in Hackbridge crash
9:08am Thursday 5th July 2012 in News By Matt Watts
Freddy Shelley, left, was on the stolen bike with his friend Dylan Roff, right, who was killed in the crash
Two teenage joyriders who were on a stolen motorbike when it crashed, killing their best friend, have been jailed.
Frederick Shelley, 18, and Macauley Curdie, 16, had hot-wired and ridden off a 125cc Honda bike with friend Dylan Roff, in July last year when it clipped a kerb.
Dylan was fatally injured as the three best friends were sent flying by the impact when the bike fell on to its side, skidding and smashing into a BT junction box.
The 16-year-old was taken to hospital and put on a life-support machine, but his injuries were so serious his family took the decision to switch it off a day later.
The teenagers, who had stolen bikes together before, had lost control of the vehicle which had been made unstable by having three passengers.
None of the youths had driving licences. Shelley, who was 17 at the time and who told police he was driving the bike, was seriously injured and hospitalised in the crash.
Fifteen-year-old Curdie, who received just cuts and bruises, fled the scene without ringing for an ambulance for his friends.
His family called emergency services when he arrived home.
At Croydon Crown Court yesterday Shelley and Curdie were each sentenced to 18 months in jail after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicle taking resulting in a fatal accident.
Sentencing the two, Judge Warwick McKinnon, the recorder of Croydon, called it a tragic case.
He said: “It is an example of the criminal folly of youth and immaturity... an utterly and entirely dangerous thing to do with catastrophic consequences when whoever it was who was the rider of the bike lost control.
“No sentence which I pass today can restore the human life that was senselessly lost.”
Harry Potter, defending Shelley, said: “He shows extreme remorse and will live with this for the rest of his life. He has said he would rather have died than his friend.
“This is not a stranger, not an enemy, but his best friend.”
The three boys had stolen the bike from outside an address in Wallington in the small hours of July 13.
Prosecutor Hamish Reid said: “They were friends of long standing. They had been out that evening and were looking for a motorbike to take. This was not uncommon for them.
"They were all on the back [of the bike] together, though their respective positions on the bike were not clear.
“The bike was clearly not designed to carry three... it would seriously affect the stability of the bike.”
The court was told they were not on alcohol or drugs when, at an estimated 31mph, they lost control of the bike in London Road, Hackbridge.
The injured youths were discovered by dog unit officers on routine patrol at the junction of London Road and Park Road shortly after 5am.
Shelley, of New Close, Mitcham, who has a string of previous convictions, including aggravated vehicle taking, spent weeks in hospital following the crash.
Curdie, of Hartfield Road, Mitcham, was due to be released on Friday after a 12-month sentence for two robberies. He will serve a detention and training order in a young offender institution.
He claimed he ran from the scene because he was frightened and disorientated and had fallen from the bike before knowing the crash had occurred.
Both wiped tears from their eyes as they were read their sentences.
The court was told Dylan’s family were too devastated by what had happened to attend court.
Comments(24)
jaded1
says...
4:08pm Thu 5 Jul 12
I'm sure their friends will be on here soon defending them innit!
ColP404
says...
4:23pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Michael Pantlin
says...
11:14pm Thu 5 Jul 12
jdclloc
says...
11:27pm Thu 5 Jul 12
hastingseagles1985
says...
1:13am Fri 6 Jul 12
Michael Pantlin
says...
4:21am Fri 6 Jul 12
jdclloc wrote:Aggravated robberies, string of previous convictions, perhaps they deserve a commendation instead?
Some of you people that write comments on here have not got a clue, it could of been any of these 3 lads that died sadly it was one, so if you read it properly it sounds like no one set out to kill anyone so please get your facts right
lilacgeorge
says...
7:01am Fri 6 Jul 12
jdclloc wrote:What crap! They knew the risks and were clearly prepared to take them! No it shouldn't of happened, but then they shouldn't go round stealing peoples property that they have worked hard to pay for, maybe they will think twice in future, but I fear they won't. At least for 18mths people can rest assured that their properties will be safe from these two. If they are genuinely sorry then maybe they will go round to the people who's stuff they stole and apologise? No? Didn't think so!
Some of you people that write comments on here have not got a clue, it could of been any of these 3 lads that died sadly it was one, so if you read it properly it sounds like no one set out to kill anyone so please get your facts right
jaded1
says...
8:39am Fri 6 Jul 12
hastingseagles1985 wrote:No they won't show remorse.When they come out of their holiday camp after 9 months they will continue their life of crime.Innit,respect bro'.
For a start jaded1 do you know the guys that did this proberly not so don't judge not your place. Secondly Colp404 how you know what your kids get up to 24/7. These boys are no angels and I'm pretty sure the parents know this. These boys have lost a dear friend. That they both show remorse for it is something that will have to live with for the rest of their lives.
jdclloc
says...
9:44am Fri 6 Jul 12
Toccss
says...
10:37am Fri 6 Jul 12
Bloody morons.
jacksmith90210
says...
12:21pm Fri 6 Jul 12
_NJFK013
says...
1:15pm Fri 6 Jul 12
Toccss
says...
2:28pm Fri 6 Jul 12
_NJFK013 wrote:Why do you know them personally? If not then your nothing but a hypocrite.
How do any of you know how these boys will be feeling? The boy who died was their best friend of course they feel remorse and guilt. No sentence they have been given will ever amount to what they have to live with for the rest of their lives. You say they will continue their lives of crime but one of these boys hasn't committed an offence since, and as for blaming the parents, if the parents are so bad then why are none of one of the boys four other siblings criminals or menaces as you say? Their families know these boys are no angels, all 3 boys were very immature and would do very silly things for a thrill and what they thought to be fun turned out to be a horrible mistake that they will regret for eternity, and to be honest nothing any of you say could make them feel any worse than they already do. One day each of you will forget this story but not them, they will remember and so will their families, they have lost someone very special to them and will grieve for him everday. So unless you know these boys and their families then don't talk about what you don't know.
Either way they made the decision to go around stealing other peoples well earned property and they paid for it, simple as that really. I'm not going to feel sorry for them.
_NJFK013
says...
2:45pm Fri 6 Jul 12
GR-London
says...
7:05pm Fri 6 Jul 12
1) Prison
2) The Cemetery
Eventually they get you.
Much better way;
1) Be a nice person
2) Get a job
xeepo
says...
9:51pm Fri 6 Jul 12
Michael Pantlin
says...
11:38am Sat 7 Jul 12
ripdyl
says...
11:59am Sat 7 Jul 12
ripdyl
says...
11:59am Sat 7 Jul 12
jaded1
says...
9:51am Sun 8 Jul 12
ripdyl wrote:Can you tell me what school you went to please-so I can make sure my kids don't go there and turn out as illiterate as you.
lison unless u new them dont coment i went to school woth the boy that died so u can all go away these boys wer all best friends the 2 boys would do anythink o change what happend but thay carnt no one can thay may not of bin the best behaved children but if you no any of the free thay all have a hart of gold and if u needed help thay would so stop bad mouhing them thay made a mistake and will live with what happend all there lifes thay will never ever for get dyl but arfter u all have had anuth bad mouthing them you will we will always have a gap in our lifes
mr-bjp
says...
11:46am Sun 8 Jul 12
jaded1 wrote:jaded1 wrote:
ripdyl wrote:Can you tell me what school you went to please-so I can make sure my kids don't go there and turn out as illiterate as you.
lison unless u new them dont coment i went to school woth the boy that died so u can all go away these boys wer all best friends the 2 boys would do anythink o change what happend but thay carnt no one can thay may not of bin the best behaved children but if you no any of the free thay all have a hart of gold and if u needed help thay would so stop bad mouhing them thay made a mistake and will live with what happend all there lifes thay will never ever for get dyl but arfter u all have had anuth bad mouthing them you will we will always have a gap in our lifes
Can you tell me what school you went to please-so I can make sure my kids don't go there and turn out as illiterate as you.
If a judge had anything to do with it, he would have said it was an 'approved' school.
surrey-L
says...
12:55pm Tue 10 Jul 12
ripdyl wrote:Wow!
lison unless u new them dont coment i went to school woth the boy that died so u can all go away these boys wer all best friends the 2 boys would do anythink o change what happend but thay carnt no one can thay may not of bin the best behaved children but if you no any of the free thay all have a hart of gold and if u needed help thay would so stop bad mouhing them thay made a mistake and will live with what happend all there lifes thay will never ever for get dyl but arfter u all have had anuth bad mouthing them you will we will always have a gap in our lifes
Looks like schools are as competent as the courts now days!
Nice spelling!
Knew
were
anything
happened
they
can't
been
lnow
three
heart
mouthing
their
after
enough
lives!
EB86
says...
1:22pm Tue 10 Jul 12
Listen
Comment
With
In your list of spelling mistakes ;)
Look at this poor excuse for an education!! Prime example right here. But saying that, they do have "skilz, innit" because they knew how to hotwire a motorbike?? I blame poor education and too many silly little rules being enforced when we should be enforcing good morals...
mr-bjp says...
11:29am Thu 5 Jul 12