Driver’s deadly police chase ends in tragedy – no tougher sentence after appeal dropped
Crash leaves mother-of-11 dead after high-speed police chase
Bradley Webb, 25, slammed into a wall in Houghton-le-Spring after dangerously running red lights and driving the wrong way. His passenger, Paula Tiffin, was seriously injured and tragically died two days later in hospital.
Appeal bid to increase Webb’s sentence withdrawn
Webb was jailed for six years and eight months after admitting causing death by dangerous driving. Despite public outrage, the Solicitor General’s office has pulled the plug on a Court of Appeal referral seeking a harsher sentence.
A spokesperson said:
“A referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme can only be made if the sentence is not just lenient but unduly so, where a gross error has been made by the sentencing judge. After careful review of a similar case, it was concluded this threshold was not met.”
Judge slams Webb’s ‘appalling’ driving
Judge Stephen Earl branded the chase as “appalling” and said Webb’s reckless actions were aimed at evading the police. The pursuit stretched from Durham Police territory into neighbouring Northumbria.
‘Devastating loss’ mourned by family
Paula Tiffin, a mother-of-11 from Washington, Tyne & Wear, was left fighting for her life after the crash. Another passenger, Diane Coffell, also suffered serious injuries.
The Solicitor General expressed deep sympathy for Ms Tiffin’s family, describing their grief as “devastating.”
