Teenage motorcyclist jailed for nine years after fatal collision

A teenager has been jailed for nine years for causing a collision in Southampton last year which resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy.

Police were called at 5.18pm on 18 July 2022 to Hill Lane, at the junction with Warwick Road, following a report of a collision involving a blue Suzuki SV650 motorcycle and a grey VW Golf.

The pillion passenger of the motorcycle, Layton Cashmore, 14, from Hedge End, died as a result of the injuries sustained in the collision.

Today at Southampton Crown Court, the 17-year-old who was riding the motorcycle was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

He was handed an extended sentence of nine years in prison and disqualified from driving for the same period.

He cannot be named for legal reasons.

The court heard the Suzuki the two teenagers were riding had been reported stolen from Town Quay in Southampton at 3.16pm on 17 July 2022.

A 30-year-old woman from Southampton was travelling south on Hill Lane in a grey VW Golf before turning into Warwick Road.

A this point the Suzuki being ridden by the 17-year-old with Layton Cashmore as pillion passenger struck the rear offside corner of the Golf.

Forensic examination of the scene indicated the motorcycle was travelling between 69mph and 79mph in a 30mph road and was on the wrong side of the road when the collision occurred.

A witness reported that the rider of the motorbike had also 'pulled a wheelie' before crashing into the car.

Layton Cashmore, who was not wearing a helmet, was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries three days later.

The rider of the motorcycle left the scene with another 17-year-old from Southampton, who will be sentenced for assisting an offender at Southampton Youth Court on 19 July.

Police Sergeant Jonathan Bates, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This devastating collision took the life of a young boy who had his whole life ahead of him.

“The rider showed a complete disregard for his own life and the life of his passenger, who he knew was not wearing a helmet.

“Despite this, he performed dangerous stunts at high speeds and caused this fatal collision.

“I would ask people to think about Layton’s family before commenting on any social media posts about this incident.”