Provisional driver Taylor Moulds is jailed after causing horrific crash that has ruined two elderly Scarborough women's lives

Taylor Moulds, 18, was only a provisional driver and was not displaying ‘L’ plates when his Vauxhall Corsa “flew” over a hump on Seamer Moor Lane on the wrong side of the road and ploughed head-on into a Ford Ka driven by 81-year-old Margaret Arnall, York Crown Court heard.

The horror crash occurred at about 10am on November 29 last year as Miss Arnall, a church layman, and her friend Dorothy Berry, 75, were travelling from Scarborough to York on a shopping trip.

The single-carriage road - commonly known as Dickie Harper's Lane - was “clearly marked” with double white lines which prohibited overtaking due to numerous hidden dips, said prosecutor Ashleigh Metcalfe.

The horrendous aftermath for the two women after the crash - see HERE.

The road is no-overtaking for most of its length, except for its top and bottom.

It’s understood that Moulds’ car was practically airborne as it came over the blind hump, just as Miss Arnall’s vehicle was emerging from the bottom of the dip.

“Neither (driver) had time to take evasive action,” said Ms Metcalfe.

The Ka spun in the road before coming to a stop. Miss Arnall was bleeding profusely from her face after her airbag shot out from the sheer force of the collision, but Miss Berry, who was “screaming in pain”, was in a terrible condition which ultimately resulted in a stroke.

“Miss Arnall attempted to comfort her by promising to get her out of the vehicle,” said Ms Metcalfe.

“She checked on (Moulds’) vehicle (which was) resting on the grass verge. He was still seated in the driver’s seat and was mouthing, ‘I’m sorry’, to Miss Arnall.”

Emergency services arrived and the two women - both highly-respected community volunteers - were taken to Scarborough Hospital by ambulance.

Both vehicles were badly damaged and Moulds was also seriously injured.

Moulds, of Ramsey Street, Scarborough. appeared for sentence on Friday after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving without a licence or insurance.

His solicitor advocate David Camidge said the teenager – who was 17 at the time of the crash – was deeply remorseful for this “horrific accident”.

He said that Moulds, who worked at a call centre, was “appalled” at his own actions.

Judge Sean Morris said although Moulds was not technically speeding and was “ordinarily a thoroughly-decent young man”, he had “deliberately” taken the ‘L’ plates off his car “and on this sunny day, on a clear and well-marked road, you deliberately overtook on double white lines (next to a hidden dip)”.

“And along that hidden dip came two nice ladies in the twilight of their years, and you smashed right into them. It has had devastating consequences; life-changing consequences.”

Jailing Moulds for 14 months, Mr Morris said it was a “brief but obviously-dangerous manouevre that went horribly wrong”.

Moulds was also banned from driving for two years and seven months.

A message from the editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Jean MacQuarrie

Editor-in-Chief