Latest news with #Seccombe
Metro
28-04-2025
- Metro
Teen who killed three friends in crash detained for two years
A newly qualified motorist with 'history of bad driving' has been sentenced to detention. Matilda Seccombe, 16, Harry Purcell, 17, and fellow sixth-former Frank Wormald, 16, all died when a car driven by Edward Spencer, then 17, crashed in Warwickshire. Three other friends in the car were seriously hurt. Two children, then 10 and 12, who were travelling in the other vehicle with their stepmum, were left with life-changing injuries that they receive treatment for to this day. Matilda, known as Tilly, had told a friend she worried about Spencer's driving just hours before the collision on their way back from school, her dad James revealed previously. The newly qualified motorist, who had received his driving license six weeks before, had previously admitted causing the deaths of his three friends. Families of the killed teens and those injured accused Spencer of lack of remorse after he was seen smirking during a previous hearing. He was sentenced to two years' detention at Warwick Crown Court today and he was banned from driving for eight years. Before he attempts to drive again, Spencer will need to take an extended re-test. Spencer changed his plea to guilty in March after he had previously denied causing the deaths by dangerous driving. Judge Andrew Lockhart KC told Spencer at sentencing that his previous and 'habitual' poor driving meant that the was a 'terrible inevitability' about the 'catastrophic' collision. His bad driving – found on social media posts and videos – included showing off. The collision happened after the teenagers were travelling home from school in Stretton-on-Fosse in April 2023. Spencer, of Armscote Road, Newbold on Stour, had passed his driving test five weeks before the crash. He lost control of his Ford Fiesta, smashing into a Fiat on the opposite lane on the B4035. Seccombe, Purcell and Wormald died after their injuries. Two children, aged 10 and 12, travelling in the Fiat suffered life-changing injuries. The court heard previously that Spencer does not remember the crash. Inspector Michael Huntley, from the Warwickshire police serious collision unit, said previously: 'Driving requires judgment and care, even more so when you lack experience. Parents of Tilly Seccombe, James and Juliet, have joined a campaign calling for 'graduated' licenses for new drivers after the death of their daughter. Mr Seccombe told MailOnline earlier that they regret letting her go in his car. He said: 'I did say to (Spencer) face to face here in our living room to be careful when driving with people in the car and he promised me he would be. Clearly, he didn't.' He said that another friend told the police after the incident that Ms Seccombe was 'worried about Ed's driving and that messages from her phone showed there was allegedly another driving incident 'that she was clearly cross about' and got a 'belligerent response' from Spencer. Young UK drivers aged between 17-24 are involved in almost one quarter (24%) of deadly or serious injury crashes, research shows. In 2023, 4,959 people died or were seriously hurt in collisions involving at least one young driver, according to charity Road Peace, which is campaigning for graduated driving licensing to 'save lives.' 'As this tragic case shows, the consequences of careless driving can be devastating. More Trending 'So many lives have been ruined by this terrible incident. I can't begin to imagine the pain this has caused, and our thoughts remain with the individuals and families affected. 'Edward Spencer will live with the consequences of his careless actions for the rest of his life, as will the families of all those involved.' The Chipping Campden School community, where the teens were Year 12 pupils, was 'profoundly' shocked by the deaths, principal John Sanderson said after the crash. Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: M25 closed at rush hour after motorbike crash in Surrey MORE: Dad charged after 'precious boy', 14, killed in horrific M6 crash MORE: Renowned stunt pilot killed after crashing his plane days before air show
BBC News
04-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cuts will not affect officer numbers says Warwickshire PCC
The number of police officers in Warwickshire will not be affected by the need for £1m of savings, the person responsible for setting the force's budget has said. The force area's police and crime commissioner (PCC) Philip Seccombe said he had been reassured by the top officer at Warwickshire Police that a tightened budget would not affect staff numbers. The Conservative was challenged on the savings at a budget meeting of the Warwickshire Police & Crime Panel on Monday. The force has to find savings, despite plans to increase its council tax precept by the maximum allowed for the 2025/26 financial year. The owners of an average Band D property in Warwickshire will pay an extra £14 to the police in their council tax bill, the plans state. Documents show Warwickshire Police will require another £10m just to stand still over the next financial year, and while the bulk of that will come from government, Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith has been tasked with making £2.2m worth of savings to balance a £140.8m was explained at the meeting that £1.2m in savings had already been found, with the force currently working on plans to find the rest of the money. Speaking at the meeting, Mr Seccombe said Mr Franklin-Smith had assured him that officer number would not decrease. "These savings are challenging," he said."I stood on a manifesto to increase the number of officers in Warwickshire Police, I continue to stand by that."Mr Seccombe said that while it was currently "difficult to look over the horizon", he was "optimistic" the force was in a sound financial position."We have to make sure we protect our reserves - they are there for a reason - but I am optimistic we can continue to grow the number of officers and PCSOs in Warwickshire," he news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
