Ellie Crossley and Rebecca Doughty, both 20, died when the reckless driver began speeding at 93mph in a 60mph zone during “terrible weather conditions” – and lost control of his vehicle
Two lifelong friends were killed by an “atrocious” driver — who was speeding in “terrible weather conditions” and lost control of his car.
Ellie Crossley and Rebecca Doughty, both 20, had visited Cheshire Oaks and were driving in the opposite direction to a speeding Benjamin Lewis. The 31-year-old of West Vale, Neston, drove at speeds of up to 93mph in a 60mph zone during “terrible weather conditions”.
Lewis then lost control of his BMW 420D car, which collided with Ellie’s Citroen DS3 travelling in the opposite direction on the A5117 in Dunkirk, Cheshire, at around 9.30pm on Thursday November 25, 2021.
Ellie, from Holywell, who was driving the vehicle, and pal Rebecca, from Connah’s Quay, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, both tragically died at the scene of the crash.
Lewis appeared at Chester Crown Court on May 8, 2024, after pleading guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing. The 31-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in prison and was banned from driving for four years following his release.
An investigation by Cheshire Police found that Lewis’ BMW had crossed the double solid white lines and entered into the opposite lane when it crashed into the Citroen. He initially pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of death by careless driving, but a trial was listed for September 2023 after the prosecution refused to accept his guilty plea. He later changed his guilty pleas to the more serious charge.
Following the sentencing hearing, Sergeant Andy Dennison, of the Cheshire police Serious and Complex Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Despite the poor weather conditions and low visibility, Lewis proceeded to speed in excess of 90mph with no regard to the danger he posed to other road users or himself. During the investigation, we utilised data collected by global satellites connected to electronic devices to show that Lewis had driven at high speed on several roads just before the collision.
“It was also shown that on entering the A5117, despite the terrible weather conditions, Lewis accelerated harshly up past 90mph before losing control of his BMW on the wrong side of a double white line system.
“Tragically, as a result of his atrocious driving, Ellie and Rebecca paid the ultimate price, and I hope he takes this time behind bars to reflect on the decisions he made that night and the impact this has had on the families of the victims.
“I cannot begin to imagine the devastating loss that both Ellie and Rebecca’s families have had to endure throughout this long and painful process, and I sincerely hope today’s result will provide some closure. Lewis refused to acknowledge the severity of the charges but once he realised the mountain of evidence that was stacked against him, he admitted his dangerous driving had cost two young women their lives.
“This has been an extremely challenging and complex investigation, and I’d like to thank all of the dedicated officers involved in securing justice for Ellie and Rebecca. While this result will not bring back Ellie and Rebecca to their families, I hope this sends a message to others about the consequences of driving at high speed.”
