A woman who caused a fatal accident while rushing to reach a beauty salon before closing time has avoided a prison sentence. Laila Barnard-Wigley was driving her Mercedes when she collided head-on with another vehicle due to excessive speed on wet roads following heavy rainfall. This tragic incident resulted in the deaths of Dean Yarrow, 33, and his girlfriend, Faye Wardle, 32.
Barnard-Wigley, 27, pleaded guilty to careless driving, admitting her responsibility for the fatal crash that occurred on May 7, 2021, near the Grindale crossroads in Bridlington. The court was informed that she was in a rush to make it to the beauty salon before its 3:30 pm closure to sell beauty products, overtaking vehicles recklessly in an attempt to reach her destination faster.
The collision took place on the A165, where Barnard-Wigley’s car veered into oncoming traffic, resulting in a devastating head-on impact with the car driven by Mr. Yarrow. Prosecutors highlighted that Barnard-Wigley failed to adjust her speed to match the hazardous weather conditions, ultimately leading to the fatal crash.
Following the accident, Barnard-Wigley sustained severe injuries and was hospitalized. She expressed remorse for her actions, acknowledging that she should have been more cautious while driving in adverse weather conditions to prevent aquaplaning. Despite the tragic outcome, it was noted that she had a clean driving record prior to this incident.
In court, Barnard-Wigley received a 21-month suspended prison sentence, along with 200 hours of unpaid work and a curfew from 9 pm to 6 am for six months. Additionally, she was banned from driving for five years and required to pass an extended retest before regaining her driving privileges. The sentencing aimed to address the serious consequences of her actions while considering her lack of prior convictions and remorse for the tragic incident.