Teen killed on Leeds crossing by 'show-off driver' in high-powered Ford Focus stood 'no chance', court told
A teenager killed on a pelican crossing “had no chance” after being hit by a powerful car travelling at nearly three times the speed limit, a court heard.
Ashton Kitchen-White suffered catastrophic injuries and died at the scene after being struck by the Ford Focus ST in Middleton in May.
Regan Kemp is on trial at Leeds Crown Court this week, accused of causing his death by dangerous driving.
The 26-year-old denies being the driver. He claimed it was being driven by his friend as they tried to broker a swap deal for a VW Golf GTD in Leeds.
Opening the case for the Crown, Paul Mitchell said that Kemp, who is from Cornwall but was travelling from near Edinburgh, came to West Yorkshire on the evening of Friday, May 16.
He drove the Ford Focus, the court heard, while his two friends were in convoy in a Mini Cooper.
Mr Mitchell said Kemp then took the Leeds man who was interested in the car for a test drive, after arriving in Leeds late at night.
He said Kemp was behind the wheel and was “showing off”, accelerating at high speed and moving through the gears.
He reached speeds up to 80mph on Ring Road Beeston - a 30mph zone - where Mr Kitchen-White was on a pelican crossing.
Footage taken on a camera phone from a backseat passenger was played to the jury which caught the screeching car accelerating hard, with someone heard commenting that it was “crazy fast”.
A huge thud is then heard as the car ploughed into 19-year-old Mr Kitchen-White.
Mr Mitchell says the footage “clearly” shows Kemp driving. He added that the driver also has a south-west accent, which could only be Kemp, given that his two accompanying friends are Scottish.
Leaving Mr Kitchen-White for dead, the car was abandoned moments later.
Footage from CCTV showed the badly-damaged Ford Focus pulling up, with Mr Mitchell saying it was Kemp who is then seen getting out of the driver’s side.
Only Kemp’s fingerprints were later found in the Focus.
He then runs back to the street where the Mini Cooper was parked, climbed in and left with his friends, heading back to Scotland. Kemp then travelled to his home on Lafrowda Close, St Just, Penzance.
He handed himself into police four days later, was taken to Leeds, but then refused to answer police questions.
Mr Mitchell told the jury Mr Ashton-White “had no chance” because of the “grossly-excessive speed” at which the Ford was being driven.
He added: “The Crown say Kemp was the driver of the car and his dangerous driving was responsible for Ashton’s death.
“He denies being the driver and attempts to switch the blame to another man.”
The trial, which is expected to last four days, continues.