A motorist has admitted his dangerous driving caused the death of a 13-year-old schoolgirl and was also responsible for her mum and sister being left badly hurt in a horror crash south of Carlisle.
Tony Packenham, 47, has further owned up to discarding a memory stick containing dash-cam footage of his vehicle travelling at speed and then colliding with another vehicle as tragedy struck close to the Crown Inn, between Stoneraise and Ivegill, on the afternoon of February 18, 2019.
Packenham appeared at Carlisle Crown Court this morning, and faced a total of four charges.
During a hearing lasting less than 10 minutes, he admitted causing Ingrid Messenger’s death by driving a Land Rover Defender dangerously on the C1036 at Broadfield.
He also admitted his dangerous driving caused serious injury to Ingrid’s mum, Catriona, and elder sister Erikka, who was then aged 15.
Both had to be cut free from the Citroen vehicle – in which Ingrid was a back seat passenger – before receiving medical treatment at senate hospitals. A third vehicle, a van, was also caught up in the collision.
During today’s court hearing, Packenham, of Station Hill, Wigton, also pleaded guilty to doing an act tending and tending to pervert the course of public justice by discarding the memory stick after the crash.
Although a probation service pre-sentence report had been prepared on the defendant, Judge Nicholas Barker opted not to pass sentence straight away after it emerged a “failure in communication” had resulted in Ingrid’s family not being notified of today’s hearing.
“In my judgement it would be an act of gross insensitivity to proceed in these circumstances so I don’t intend to do so,” said the judge.
Packenham had arrived at the hearing carrying bags of possessions having “said his goodbyes” to relatives, the court was told.
His barrister, Andrew Nuttall, said to Judge Barker: “He intimated guilty pleas at the magistrates’ court. He has always understood that custody is the only sentence Your Honour can pass, and properly pass, and has accepted that.”
Packenham is due to be sentenced at the crown court next week. No application for bail was made, and he was remanded in custody in the meantime.
“It is unfortunate and of no fault of yours at all that the sentence cannot take place today,” Judge Barker told him.
“I understand that you have made your preparations and have come here today to receive the sentence that you realistically know can only be an immediate custodial sentence.
“I am therefore sorry for you that that can’t come to finality today. It will take place next Tuesday, 15th December.”
