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Woman Acquitted in Fatal Crash Conspiracy Case
17 Sep
Summary
- Vanessa Gratton was found not guilty of conspiracy to assault.
- Sean Burlton died when a car crashed into a ditch.
- The incident involved a dispute between Burlton and Richard McMullon.
A woman has been cleared of all charges related to a conspiracy that led to a fatal crash. Vanessa Gratton, 32, was found not guilty by a jury at Lincoln Crown Court. The case involved the death of Sean Burlton, 28, who drowned in November 2023 when the car he was a passenger in veered off the road and into a water-filled ditch.
The prosecution alleged that Burlton was involved in a conspiracy to assault Richard McMullon, the ex-partner of Burlton's new girlfriend's ex-partner. Burlton was reportedly in a Ford Focus that attempted to ram McMullon's VW Touran, with the Focus ultimately ending up in the ditch.
Gratton consistently denied any involvement in a conspiracy to harm McMullon. She testified that she was devastated by Burlton's death and was not aware of any plan to confront McMullon. The court heard of existing tensions between Burlton and McMullon, partly due to child custody disputes involving Gratton.
After deliberating for two days, the jury returned a not guilty verdict for Gratton. Scott Biggs, a passenger in another vehicle involved, could not reach a verdict and later admitted to a minor role in the conspiracy. Other individuals, including the drivers of the vehicles and additional passengers, have previously pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter and conspiracy.
