A 27-year-old motorist who caused a fatal head-on collision while speeding to a beauty salon before it closed has avoided an immediate prison term.
A Fatal Rush to Make an Appointment
Laila Barnard-Wigley was driving her Mercedes Benz in Bridlington in May 2021 after heavy rainfall had left the roads dangerously wet. The court heard she was "in a hurry" to reach a local beauty salon before it shut at 3:30pm because she wanted to try to sell some products.
Prosecutor Michael Greenhalgh stated that to make "rapid progress through the traffic" she weaved between vehicles. Her car then aquaplaned on standing water, veered into the opposite carriageway, and collided with an oncoming red Peugeot.
Lives Shattered in an Instant
The occupants of the Peugeot, Dean Yarrow, 33, and his girlfriend Faye Wardle, 32, were both killed. Their two-year-old son, who was secured in a child seat in the rear of the vehicle, survived the crash but was left orphaned.
The couple's car was forced off the road and into a nearby field. Barnard-Wigley herself sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital.
A Legacy of Grief and a Suspended Sentence
In powerful victim impact statements, the families described the devastating void left by the deaths. Mr Yarrow's mother said her world was destroyed and she was "broken beyond repair," adding that the past four-and-a-half years had been immensely difficult.
Miss Wardle's father spoke of the "deafening" silence in his home, while her sister paid tribute, saying the pair were the "life and soul of any party."
Mitigating, Richard Dawson said the incident was an "entirely out-of-character event" and not a case of prolonged bad driving. He stated Barnard-Wigley was "profoundly sorry" and her thoughts remained with the victims' families.
At Hull Crown Court, Barnard-Wigley was given a 21-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and must adhere to a six-month curfew between 9pm and 6am.
In addition to the suspended sentence, she was banned from driving for five years and must pass an extended retest before she can legally drive again.
