Teenagers died after car collided with tree in Staffordshire crash
Three teenagers died after the car they were travelling in collided with a tree, an inquest has heard.
Dafydd Huw Craven-Jones, 18, and Morgan Jones, 17, from Wrexham, North Wales, and 17-year-old Sophie Bates from Stafford died after the crash on 25 May last year.
Staffordshire Coroner's Court heard Mr Craven-Jones was the driver of the black Ford KA when it collided "head-on with an established tree" off the B5012 Cannock Road, in Pilkington.
He and the front seat passenger Mr Jones were both declared dead at the scene and Sophie Bates, one of the rear seat passengers, died at Birmingham 's Queen Elizabeth Hospital on 28 May.
Assistant coroner Kelly Dixon recorded a short form cause of death as road traffic collision.
"As the vehicle travelled over a humped back bridge towards Penkridge, at speed, it suffered a loss of control," she said.
A tracking app on passenger Brooke Varley's phone "indicated a maximum speed of 85mph had been reached at some point during the 15-minute journey".
The inquest heard evidence that, while the driver was wearing his seat belt, the front side passenger was not wearing his correctly and neither rear seat passengers were wearing seat belts.
Ms Dixon said she was satisfied on the balance of probability that "inappropriate speed over the humped back bridge" caused a loss of control.
The assistant coroner said she would issue a prevention of future deaths report to Staffordshire highways authority after a previous fatal collision on the same stretch of road.
In a statement released after the collision, Ms Varley, the sole survivor of the crash, said she was "so upset to have lost such amazing people from [her] life".
Both Mr Craven-Jones and Mr Jones were keen rugby players and played for Wrexham RFC's youth team, who described them as "good friends on and off the field of play".
In a tribute to Mr Craven-Jones issued after his death, his family described him as "a beautiful soul" and "loving person".
Meanwhile, Mr Jones's family said he was a "very popular young man" who was "loved by everybody".
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North Wales Chronicle
8 hours ago
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'Jones also played a key part in the burglary, as he carried out two recces at Blenheim Palace in the days leading up to the burglary, and it is our belief that he also was there on the night. 'We are aware that in this case there are others who were involved who have not yet been brought to justice as we do not have sufficient evidence to secure further charges. 'I am aware that over the passage of time allegiances may change and it might be that someone out there has that one piece of evidence that may assist us in bring others to justice. 'If you do have information then you can contact us on 101 or you can provide information 100% anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.'
South Wales Guardian
9 hours ago
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Pair jailed for burglary of £4.75m golden toilet from Blenheim Palace
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'You were almost certainly the figure that carried the sledgehammer on which your DNA was found and which was used to sever the functioning toilet from its connecting pipes. 'I say straight away I have no doubt at all that the sentence I pass must be consecutive to the sentence you are currently serving. 'Not to do so would be to send out a message that you did this without any penalty at all.' Judge Pringle jailed Jones for 27 months after concluding he could not be sure he was part of the gang that carried out the burglary. 'You paid visits on two occasions to Blenheim Palace in the days leading up to the burglary,' he said. 'That your role was to carry out a reconnaissance of the museum, to know exactly where the golden toilet was situated and to work out the quickest route in and out of the palace, I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever. 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'Jones also played a key part in the burglary, as he carried out two recces at Blenheim Palace in the days leading up to the burglary, and it is our belief that he also was there on the night. 'We are aware that in this case there are others who were involved who have not yet been brought to justice as we do not have sufficient evidence to secure further charges. 'I am aware that over the passage of time allegiances may change and it might be that someone out there has that one piece of evidence that may assist us in bring others to justice. 'If you do have information then you can contact us on 101 or you can provide information 100% anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.'
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