Dad spared jail after killing son, 12, in high-speed crash on way to match

A father who caused the death of his 12-year-old son by dangerous driving wept in the dock as he was spared jail on Monday.

Paul Vines, 47, was driving Edward to an away football match for his local youth football team in Bardney, Lincolnshire, when he lost control and collided with another car.

Lincoln Crown Court was told he was probably travelling over the 60mph speed limit and ignored road signs telling him to slow down where the road was uneven.

Edward, known as Ted, suffered a fatal head injury, while a passenger in the other car, Victoria Frost, suffered spinal fractures that will likely leave her in lifelong pain.

Ted’s mum, Sarah Vines, told the court her ‘life has been destroyed’ and that her husband ‘will never be able to forgive himself’.

Ms Frost, whose husband and daughter were also in the vehicle with her and suffered injuries, asked Judge Simon Hirst not to send Vines to prison.

In a victim impact statement she said: ‘I want Mr Vines to know that everyone makes mistakes in life and there is no hate towards him.’

Mr Vines was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, during which he is banned from driving, as well as 200 hours of unpaid work.

The judge told him: ‘Had it not been your son in this case who died and had Mrs Frost not been enormously generous in her position, inevitably you would not be walking out of this court today.’

Local authorities have since lowered the speed limit on the road to 40mph, the 47-year-old’s defence barrister said.

In a statement issued after his death, Ted’s family, who are from Alford, said: ‘Ted was loved by everyone – he was happy, fun and brilliant and had so many people who loved him.

‘Everywhere he went, Ted made friends. He was a special part of the community for everyone.’

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