Teen Driver Detained After Fatal Crash Leaving Friend to Die

A young driver, described as “cowardly,” has been detained after abandoning his 15-year-old friend, who was fatally injured, in the aftermath of a car crash. The city’s crown court was informed that Billy Conroy, then 16, crashed a Mazda6 in Newcastle while evading police, resulting in “catastrophic” fatal head injuries for his passenger, Conner Loder. Conner’s mother stated that his death had “broken” her family and that the error had “cost him his life.” Conroy, currently 17 years old and residing on Ellesmere Road in Newcastle, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and received a detention sentence of five and a half years. The court was also informed that Conroy, who had a prior record of dangerous driving, had previously engaged in a 140mph police chase at the age of 15. Prior to the fatal collision, he had unlawfully acquired the vehicle for £400 and was observed driving at high speed around Newcastle with five passengers who were making gestures at individuals and playing loud music several hours before the incident. Prosecutor Emma Dowling stated that the car was also fitted with registration plates stolen from a different vehicle. The court heard that around 01:00 BST on 10 June, a police officer began pursuing the car after noticing it lacked a front registration plate. Conroy accelerated through a red light but subsequently lost control, striking the kerb and colliding with poles that supported a road sign on Stamfordham Road. Ms Dowling reported that the driver and two other young individuals escaped the scene, abandoning Conner and a 16-year-old passenger who had sustained a broken leg. In a statement presented to the court, Conner’s mother described him as a “normal teenager” who cherished his family and aspired to become a professional video gamer. “He was my world and more,” she stated, further adding: “I love him so much.” She also asserted that he was “not like the other boys in the car” and had been “brought up right.” She commented that the other youths acted selfishly by fleeing and failing to assist her son, adding: “It kills me every day to know he had no-one there with him and how scared he must have been.” The court was informed that Conroy had accumulated convictions since the age of 12 and, in August 2023, had engaged police in a 140mph pursuit along the A69 towards Hexham. During mitigation, the court was told that he was “devastated” by his friend’s death and would bear that burden for the remainder of his life. Judge Tim Gittins remarked that he “should never have been driving that night” and constituted an “accident waiting to happen.” The judge noted that the teenager had been observed earlier that evening driving at 80mph on a section of the A1 with a 50mph speed limit. “You had been showing off,” the judge stated, further commenting that Conroy was “not capable of handling such a powerful car properly or safely.” He also pointed out that the youth, discovered by police concealed in a cupboard, made no attempt to assist his injured passengers, which he deemed a “cowardly thing to do.” The judge asserted that the teenager’s “bravado and arrogance” were evident and expressed a wish that “every boy racer” who considered it “big and cool” to drive recklessly would learn from Conner’s death. Conroy, who also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified, is also required to serve a three-year extended licence period following his release. Additionally, he received an eight-year and eight-month driving ban and will be mandated to pass an extended driving test. Judge Gittins removed reporting restrictions, permitting Conroy’s identity to be disclosed, following a request from the press.