Drivers killed woman, 20, while racing at ‘simply stupid’ speeds
Four motorists involved in a high-speed race that ended in the death of young woman have been warned that they are facing long jail terms.
The four young men – all from the Humber region – were found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving by a jury at Lincoln Crown Court. Keelan Tuke, Josh Dobb, Keigan Launder and Riley Duncombe drove at “simply stupid” speeds on the A16 and were jointly responsible for the death of 20-year-old Denii Reynolds, the court heard.
Tuke, 21, who was in the lead vehicle with Denii as his front-seat passenger, told the court that he had no memory of the crash and denied knowing whether his driving was dangerous or not. His co-defendants, meanwhile, all blamed Tuke for causing the crash by clipping a kerb in his Citroen C1 and hitting an oncoming Vauxhall Corsa.
Tuke, of Grafton Street, Grimsby; Duncombe, 19, of Thesiger Walk, Grimsby; Launder, 23, of Louth Road, Grimsby; and Dobb, 21, of Hadleigh Road, Immingham, were unanimously convicted today (Monday). They were also found guilty of causing serious injury to the Corsa’s driver while they were driving dangerously on the night of October 26 2021..
Judge James House KC granted bail to all four defendants until a sentencing hearing on November 24. He told them: “I am adjourning your case – that is to allow for the preparation of pre-sentence reports and also victim impact statements.
"A custodial sentence of some considerable length is inevitable in this case, but I will give them that time (on bail) to sort out their affairs. I grant you all bail on the same terms as before. You must understand that that is no indication as to the sort of sentence that I must impose.”
The defendants, who had met in Cleethorpes and then driven to Louth, were “racing and driving competitively” in a 50mph zone on the return journey, the court heard. “In effect each was encouraging and egging on the dangerous driving of the others,” prosecutor Jeremy Janes said. “All took the racing line through the corner immediately prior to the accident.”
One of the defendants was “revving the nuts off” an 11-year-old van, and the “simply stupid speeds” clearly showed the road was being used as a race track. Analysis by expert investigators found that at the time of the crash Tuke was driving at speeds between 75mph and 98mph – the latter being the fastest his car could travel, according to its manufacturer.
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Dobb, who was driving a Ford Fiesta van, told the court he was not driving dangerously or even carelessly, claiming he had not exceeded 80mph. Launder, at the wheel of a Mercedes A-Class, said he had not overtaken anyone and had not driven at excessive speeds.
Duncombe, who had passed his driving test only a week beforehand, was driving a Ford Fiesta and also denied driving at dangerous speeds. Following the crash, Dobb, 21, Launder, 23, and Duncombe, 19, all stayed at the scene of the crash and called the emergency services.
Following her death, tributes poured in to Denii and flowers were left both at the scene of the crash and at the boating lake in Cleethorpes. Denii's dad, Daniel Reynolds, wrote: "Rest in peace my beautiful baby girl, I will love you forever and always." Another tribute read: "Forever in my mind, always in our heart, fly high love."
Hundreds of people turned out for her funeral, when her coffin was also carried by horse and carriage as the family walked behind.. During the service, doves were released by Denii's family and mourners wore orange in tribute to her.