Death crash driver sentenced to ten years in prison

Scott Watkins, 25, lost control of the BMW he was driving at a “spontaneous, unauthorised meet-up” in Trafford at around 9.50pm, on May 31.

He was also disqualified from driving for 14 years and 10 months at Minshull Street Crown Court today.

Watkins was taking part in an unofficial car-meet at Trafford Park, where over 60 cars were believed to be in attendance.

Witnesses saw Watkins driving a blue BMW 330D when he began speeding and attempted to 'drift' the car around a roundabout on Europa Way.

Scott Watkins, of Worsley Road North, Little Hulton, has been sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison.

But he lost control, mounted the pavement and “ploughed” into a group of pedestrians.

Seven people were taken to hospital, including 19-year-old Sophie Louise Smith, from Radcliffe, who died the following day from catastrophic injuries.

Watkins, who fled the scene, then abandoned the car in Swinton in a bid to evade police.

Following extensive enquiries by officers and information from the public, he was located and arrested by police on Saturday, June 2.

Sophie Louise Smith, 19, was killed when Scott Watkins lost control of his car and mounted a pavement.

Miss Smith was working as a barista at Bolton Costa Coffee in Lower Bridgeman Street before her death.

Following the crash, Mr Watkins sped away from the scene, and was briefly pursued by another driver.

It was later revealed to police that he was driving someone else’s car and was uninsured and had a revoked driving licence.

In his opening, prosecutor Rob Hall said: “Mr Watkins drove a BMW 330 motor car on Europa Way, Trafford dangerously and while uninsured and without a driver’s licence.

“Mr Watkins lost control of the vehicle, mounted the pavement and collided with a group of observers, resulting in the death of Sophie Smith, 19, and the serious injury of others.”

Watkins had lost his driving licence, which he had been awarded after passing his test in 2016, after a series of offences, including driving with no insurance.

Mr Hall explained that the area of road on Europa Way chosen for the meet-up included a 500-metre section – on which the speed limit was 30mph – which drivers used to drive “continuously back and forth” between a pair of roundabouts.

Some of the drivers reached a high-speed and used the handbrake in their cars to “drift”, meaning the vehicles skidded sideways around the roundabouts and came out in the opposite direction to the one they had entered from.

Sophie's colleagues at Costa Coffee, Lower Bridgeman Street, Bolton attended a vigil at the crash site on June 1.

Mr Hall also read out a statement from Mr Patel, the husband of Sophie Smith’s mother Sue.

Mr Patel has been with his partner since Sophie was two years old and said he felt like “she was my daughter”.

He said: “Our lives will never be the same again, and I can’t put into words how I feel.”

Adding: “When I think about the driver and what happened, it makes me angry, Sue is also angry.

"When he is released from custody his family will be able to walk him home, we will never get to see Sophie again.”

Inspector Daniel Byrne, from GMP’s Serious Collison Investigation Unit, said: “Watkins’ behaviour that night was completely reckless, putting himself and innocent members of the public in danger.

“A young life was ripped from their family and loved ones all because Watkins wanted to show off in front of people and satisfy his thrill-seeking speeding.

“His decision to then leave countless injured people lying in the street was utterly deplorable.

“I welcome this sentencing today, and I hope it can bring some comfort to Sophie’s family and friends knowing the man responsible for her death will now spend time in prison.

“I also hope this case highlights the dangers of unofficial car meets and discourages people form taking part in these events.”

More to follow.