A man who stole his mum's car and went on a drunken joyride has been jailed after he killed a grandmother in a late-night head-on collision. Oliver Hartley, 24, had spent his evening drinking before he decided to steal his mum's black Audi A7 from her home in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and go on an intoxicated joyride.
Mr Harltey was speeding southbound down the A6055 between Catterick and Leeming Bar at around 2.18am on August 1, 2021, when he smashed into 65-year-old Linda Stockdale's car. Linda - who was driving her blue Kia Ceed - was returning home to Tunstall after babysitting her grandchildren when the incident happened.
Tragically, Linda - who was also a mum-of-two - died at the scene of the collision. Mr Hartley, Bentley Lane, of Meanwood, Leeds, was originally awaiting trial for causing death by dangerous driving, however, he offered a lesser plea of causing death by careless driving, which was accepted by the court.
Hartley appeared at York Crown Court on Friday, where he was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. He was also banned from driving for six months and will have to take an extended driving test.
Linda's partner, Christopher Gall, said: "Losing Linda has changed my life completely; it turned my whole world upside down. Linda was due to retire a week after the incident and we had so many plans.
"It was our time to enjoy together and that has been stolen away from me and the family. Linda and I were together for 25 years. We were besotted with each other, and we did absolutely everything together.
"Four years to get to this point has been torturous and could have been avoided had it not been for the chosen actions of Mr Hartley. You destroyed so many lives that night.
"I no longer sleep properly; I wake in the night in a panic because Linda isn't there. I worry and then I remember - I live this life I never wanted or ever imagined."
Linda's daughter, Lisa Roper, said: She was an incredible lady, so kind and understanding, so smiley and positive, simply a person everybody loved. She was the heart of our family, the very core that kept us together and she was there for everybody whenever they needed it.
"Having to have that heartbreaking conversation with my children to explain that their favourite person in the world was gone was devastating. To tell them there would be no more grandma days, no more sleepovers, no more grandma adventures."
Linda's family has been provided with specialist support throughout the investigation and court proceedings for the past four years. Hartley was also charged with drink-driving having recorded a range from 119 to 203 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in the evidential test.
The prescribed limit for driving is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. He pleaded guilty to that offence at York Magistrates' Court on February 1, 2022, and he received a disqualification from driving for 20 months as the investigation into the collision continued.
In addition to the drink-drive conviction, Hartley admitted that he was driving his mother's car without her permission and without insurance. Examination of the location data from Hartley's mobile phone showed that he had travelled up and down the A1(M) and the A6055 seven times, travelling as far north as Scotch Corner prior to the collision, well in excess of the speed limit.
Crucially, a technical expert in Position Navigation and Timing reviewed the recovered location data and concluded: "Taking into account this worst-case level of speed accuracy, it can be stated that immediately before the collision and for at least 14 seconds, the vehicle carrying the Phone was recorded at a speed (based on 10-second averaging) between 95 and 105mph. Despite slowing down, it is likely that the speed was least 72mph at the point when it collided with the Kia."
The Forensic Collision Investigator eliminated any environmental factors and vehicle defects as a contributory factor, concluding "the primary cause to be the driver of the Audi travelling on the incorrect side of the road, while lost and intoxicated".
Following the sentencing, DC Laura Cleary, of the Major Collision Investigation Team, said: "Hartley showed an appalling lack of concern to the safety of other road users. He got behind the wheel of his mother's car when he did not have permission to drive, was uninsured and intoxicated with alcohol.
"Hartley then drove at excessive and inappropriate speeds immediately prior to the head-on collision, which took Linda's life. He now has to face the consequences of his dreadful actions."