Soldier, 20, killed friend in crash just 3 weeks after passing driving test

A soldier who killed a teenage passenger in a car crash three weeks after passing his driving test is facing jail after admitting to causing death by careless driving.

Joseph Pickett, 20, was speeding with three friends in his BMW when he lost control on a bend in Ringwood, Dorset, resulting in the death of 18-year-old Laionie Kennard.

Pickett, who serves at MoD Lyneham in Wiltshire, was driving between 43mph and 54mph on a 30mph road when the crash happened.

As a result, Kennard, who was sitting in the rear seat, suffered serious head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash occurred as Pickett was driving three friends home from McDonald’s in Ferndown.

David Finney, prosecuting, told Poole Magistrates Court: “There was a massive impact. The vehicle was embedded in trees and shrubbery. Laionie was trapped and had to be extracted by fire and rescue but was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Pickett’s girlfriend Edy Herridge and friend William Green, both 18 at the time, suffered minor injuries along with the driver.

The teenager’s father, David Kennard, 42, rushed to the scene after her phone sent an automatic SOS activation alerting him to the accident.

Pickett told officials he “didn’t have his full beams on, visibility was poor and the corner jumped out on him”.

His defence lawyer, Anna Zeeva, said the crash was due to his inexperience on the roads, saying: “The calculated speed was the maximum speed for that bend to be driven but it was exacerbated by the relative inexperience of the driver.”

Although Pickett failed a roadside breath test at the scene, a subsequent toxicology test hours later showed no alcohol in his system.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Southport rioter jailed after being struck in head and groin by brick while taunting police
• Woman who defrauded employer out of £370,000 walks free due to pregnancy
• British high streets face ‘Christmas crime wave’ as 670 shoplifting offences go unsolved every day

The soldier, of Wimborne, Dorset, appeared at Poole Magistrates Court on Friday where he admitted causing death by careless driving.

Finney told the court that Pickett’s driving had fallen “just below the threshold for dangerous driving” and recommended the case be sentenced at crown court.

Judge Orla Austin adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report, announcing that she would retain jurisdiction for now but might still commit the case to crown court for sentencing.

Pickett was handed an interim driving ban and released on unconditional bail, after his defence lawyer noted that he had shown courage to plead guilty and was of previous good character.

Speaking after the hearing, Kennard said: “No amount of sentence can bring Laionie back. I just hope justice is served and he does some time in prison.

“We have to live with this every day and it’s horrendous, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

The tragic case has reignited calls for stricter controls on newly qualified drivers, with the victim’s parents joining a campaign for change.

Kelly and David Kennard are supporting the Forget-me-not Families’ group, which is backed by the AA in calling for ‘graduated’ driving licences.

“If [Pickett] hadn’t had any passengers, he wouldn’t have driven like he did. New drivers should have more experience behind them, like six months,” she said.

The campaign seeks to introduce restrictions preventing new drivers from carrying passengers immediately after passing their test.