Teenage driver Jake Loy jailed for killing three friends in a crash in Dumfries and Galloway | UK news

A learner driver whose three teenage friends were killed in a crash that broke his car in half has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

Jake Loy, 19, lost control of his Honda Civic and collided with a Honda CR-V on the opposite lane of the A711 near Cargenbridge, Dumfries and Galloway in the early hours of March 16, 2022.

Loy was seriously injured in the collision, while his three 16-year-old passengers – Ian Cannon, Finlay Johns and Tyler Johnston – were pronounced dead at the scene shortly after midnight.

Three men in the CR-V were also seriously injured, two of whom suffered life-threatening injuries.

Loy, who was 17 at the time, had a provisional driving license and had taken the car without the required supervision.

The Supreme Court in Glasgow heard his passengers sharing pictures and messages on Snapchat before the crash.

One of the teenagers said he was “scared” because Loy was “swerving around,” was a “terrible driver,” and was “driving at full speed.”

The court heard that Loy was driving his own car but had never driven it on a public road before.

Although his speed at the time of the collision is “unknown,” investigators believe it was over 60 miles per hour.

The impact split the Civic in half; some parts of the car were found 25 metres down the road.

A judge found that Loy had “no memory of the collision or the events leading up to it.”

Lord Harrower said: “Three young people have lost their lives. Three other people have suffered very serious injuries.

“The victim statements I have received all testify to the terrible devastation you have caused to the lives of family members and those injured.

“No judgment of this court can ease their suffering.”

The judge acknowledged that Loy had “shown remorse” and noted that the socio-educational background report suggested that his behavior at the time of the crime “could well have been characterized by impulsiveness, recklessness and a lack of reasoning.”

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In May, Loy pleaded guilty to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.

He admitted to driving at excessive speed and losing control of his vehicle.

Lord Harrower took into account the sentencing guidelines for under-25s in ScotlandHowever, it concluded that there was “no appropriate alternative to a significant prison sentence”.

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Loy, from Moffat, was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison on Monday and disqualified from driving for eight years.

Moira Orr, prosecutor for murder and serious crime, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and our thoughts are with everyone involved.”

“Jake Loy decided to drive his vehicle even though he does not have a driver’s license and is not an experienced road user.

“His decision to drive so dangerously changed the lives of many forever.

“We hope that this conviction will provide some comfort to the families of the three young men who lost their lives and to those injured.”