Overview
- A 15-year-old who pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving was sentenced on June 30, 2026, to an 18-month youth referral order and banned from driving for five years.
- The crash occurred on March 19, 2025, when the privately owned e-scooter — set to its 28mph 'turbo' mode — ran a red light and was struck by a BMW, leaving 14-year-old passenger Jacob Calland with catastrophic brain injuries; he died eight days later in hospital.
- Court evidence including CCTV and dashcam footage, together with a scooter inspection, showed the scooter entered the junction on a red light at high speed and the turbo setting was engaged at the time of the collision.
- Judge Suzanne Goddard cited the defendant’s traumatic, unstable upbringing, lack of previous convictions and progress since the crash as reasons to prioritise rehabilitation over custody.
- The case has prompted renewed police warnings about illegal private e-scooters and driven Jacob’s mother to launch 'Jacob’s Journey', a campaign pressing for clearer rules, tougher enforcement and tighter safety requirements for under-18s.