Home / Crime and Justice / New Driver Jailed After Fatal High-Speed Crash
New Driver Jailed After Fatal High-Speed Crash
13 Mar
Summary
- A new driver received a 14-month sentence for causing a fatal crash.
- Two passengers died when the car hit a tree at high speed.
- The driver was racing weeks after passing her test.
A 14-month sentence has been given to Madeleine Lonsdale, an 18-year-old driver who caused a fatal crash just weeks after passing her driving test. The collision, which occurred on June 20, 2025, resulted in the deaths of passengers Harrison Carter and George Stephenson, both 17 and 18 years old.
Evidence presented in Lincoln Crown Court indicated that Lonsdale was driving at excessive speeds, reaching up to 100mph while "effectively racing" a friend. Her car lost control on a bend and struck a tree on Toll Bar Road in Marston, Lincolnshire. Lonsdale had passed her driving test in March 2025.
The victims' families expressed their grief and pain, with one mother stating that life felt like living in a parallel universe. The families also noted that their initial empathy for Lonsdale had diminished due to insensitive social media posts shared by her in the months following the tragic event. Lonsdale received a three-year driving ban in addition to her custodial sentence.
