Drunk Bentley driver jailed for 12 years after killing 12-year-old girl in horror crash
Deadly Red Light Run
Edward Tully, 30, a commodities trader from Barnet, has been locked up for 12 years after running a red light in his Bentley and smashing into a family car, killing a 12-year-old girl.
The tragic crash happened on August 20, 2022. The young girl and her family were returning from dinner and stopped for ice cream at McDonald’s in Friern Barnet. As they drove through a green light at the junction of Pinkham Way and Colney Hatch Lane, Tully’s £150,000 Bentley careered into their Vauxhall Astra at high speed.
The girl, who sat in the passenger seat, suffered fatal injuries and died three days later in hospital. Her father broke two vertebrae in the smash, while her mother and brother were shaken but escaped serious harm.
Five Bottles of Champagne—Then the Wheel
The court heard Tully had spent the night drinking five bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne and other booze at a nightclub on Victoria Embankment. Despite being clearly drunk, he got behind the wheel and drove home.
CCTV footage caught him swaying and struggling to walk just before the crash.
Fleed the Scene, Then Surrendered
After the fatal collision, Tully fled, abandoning the badly injured girl and her family. Police later tracked him to his father’s and brother’s homes before he finally gave himself up 20 hours later.
Tully tried to block the investigation by refusing a blood test and dodging questioning.
Family Devastated, Judge Slams ‘Callous’ Driver
The young victim’s family delivered heartbreaking statements in court. Her father called her “the heartbeat of the family” and said, “There is no desire to live now without my princess.” Her brother revealed he has been unable to feel happiness since losing his sister, while her mother spoke of ongoing grief.
Judge John Lodge condemned Tully’s “callous and cowardly” actions, especially fleeing the scene and evading justice. He called the crash a “tragic waste of a young life” caused by selfish behaviour.
Tully was sentenced to 12 years behind bars and banned from driving for 13 years. The judge also criticised those who helped Tully evade arrest, saying they “should hang their heads in shame.”
Outrage and a Lasting Reminder
The case has sparked fury across the community over Tully’s reckless drinking and driving, and his attempt to cover up the crime. The victim, remembered as a talented singer and beloved family member, leaves behind a grieving family determined that her death will serve as a stark warning about the horrors of drunk driving.
