[O]fficers have released footage showing two joyriders racing each other in Whitley Bay – just moments before one of them crashed and killed a young jogger.
William Dorey was running on the A193 The Links in the town when he was struck by a Renault Megane that had lost control and mounted the pavement.
The impact of the collision flung the 18-year-old into the air and left him with catastrophic injuries that sadly proved to be fatal.
In the moments before the crash on May 7 last year the driver of the Renault Megane, Joshua Cherukara, had been racing his friend Harry Cable’s Vauxhall Corsa along the coast.
At around 10pm that evening CCTV captured the moment Cherukara lost control of his vehicle and collided with Willliam Dorey.
A court heard how Cable had only passed his driving test four days before the tragic collision while in the moments after the collision Cherukara told a friend “I think I’ve killed him”.
Now officers at Northumbria Police have released the footage as the joyriders were jailed at Newcastle Crown Court for a total of more than 11 years. Both men admitted death by dangerous driving.
Sergeant Lee Butler, of the Force’s Motor Patrols Department, said: “This is a devastating case which shows what can happen when people take for granted the damage a vehicle can do.
“The two defendants in this case spend the evening of May 7 racing along the coast and were caught on CCTV driving at high speed.
“Eventually Cherukara lost control of his vehicle, mounted the pavement and collided with William Dorey who was jogging on the roadside.
“It is perhaps inevitable that one of these young men would crash given the manner of their driving that evening.
“But the tragic reality is that William Dorey was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and that cost him his life.
“He did not deserve to die and was a young man with his entire life ahead of him. The defendants in this case will have to live with that for the rest of their life.
“Today they have been jailed for causing his death. That won’t bring William back but hopefully it does give his family some justice.”
Cherukara, 20, of Dachet Road, Whitley Bay, was jailed for 6 years 9 months for death by dangerous driving.
Cable, 18, of Deneholm, Whitley Bay, was jailed for 4 years 6 months also for death by dangerous driving.
The family of William Dorey said: “Today simply marks the end of the legal process that began a year ago with the death of our dear son and brother Will; a truly awful event for our family.
“There can surely be few things more painful to endure than the loss of a young life, especially in such wholly avoidable circumstances.
“Constantly and forever in our thoughts and hearts, Will was, and would have continued to be, a wonderful and precious son and brother.
“Knowing that we will never see him again is very hard. Our grief and profound sense of loss still overwhelms us.
“We now have to live with the consequences of this accident, which has been a tragedy for all concerned. Lives have been ruined, changed forever.
“It is another horrific reminder of the utter devastation that can strike without warning when, through selfish, arrogant and unthinking behaviour, people act with so little care and regard for the lives of others.
“We would appeal, in particular to parents of young men, to guide them to think about the catastrophic consequences of driving in an unsafe and dangerous manner as Cherukara and Cable chose to do on 7 May last year.
“For their tremendous dedication, professionalism and sheer hard work throughout the course of their investigations we thank and pay tribute to Northumbria Police.
“They have been truly outstanding. We wish to thank all those who came forward with information following the accident and all involved in the legal process, knowing how hard such work can be.
“We thank all at King’s Priory School, as well as ambulance and medical staff at Newcastle RVI. Our heartfelt thanks go too to family, friends, neighbours and colleagues and all of William’s many friends for all their help and support.
“We are determined to build something positive and hopeful from this tragedy, which is why, with money that has been raised and assistance from Newcastle Climbing Centre, Kings Priory School has established the William Dorey Climbing Club.
“We respectfully ask that we now be left to adjust to living without William.”