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Sept
Bailey Chadwick's mother: ‘My world has been shattered’
The mother of Bailey Chadwick, who died in a collision just outside Pateley Bridge, said her world has been “shattered”.
Bailey, 19, was struck by a vehicle on the B6265 at Lupton Bank, between Pateley and Glasshouses, in the early hours of Sunday, July 20, last year after walking home from work.
He had been working at the Royal Oak in Bewerley then stopped for a drink on the way home.
Joseph Stott, 25, of Dairy Lane in Darley, was sentenced to a 12-month community order at Harrogate Magistrates Court today (September 3) after admitting charges linked to his death.
However, Curtis Dunkley, prosecuting, told the court that it was not the prosecution’s case that Stott, of Dairy Road in Darley, caused the death of Bailey.
Dayle Knight, Bailey’s mother, gave a statement to the court, where she described her son as “full of life”.
She said:
He was simply trying to walk home from work. He should have finished his shift and been able to walk home.
It has left my world shattered and I will live with it for the rest of my life.
Ms Knight said Bailey had his “whole life ahead of him” and that he planned to visit Thailand, which he would often talk about.
He loved music, and would sit listening to Oasis for hours, and was an avid Sheffield Wednesday fan. He tried to get to as many matches as he could, she said. Sheffield Wednesday memorabilia features heavily in the shrine to Bailey along the B6265.
Ms Knight said that the community in Pateley Bridge had been left devastated by his death.
A shrine to Bailey Chadwick alongside the road on which he died.
Ms Knight said people often go to Bailey's shrine to pay tribute to him.
We go there to listen to him and be close to him. It is beautiful, but also heartbreaking.
Ms Knight said many of Bailey's friends had been left heartbroken by his death, and still "talk about him constantly".
She added that his life was stolen from him on the night that he was killed.
She said:
He had his whole life ahead of him. He talked constantly about the places he wanted to see. He was so full of life, but that was stolen that night before he had the chance to begin.
Change of plea
Stott was due to stand trial after denying failing to stop after a road accident, failing to report a road accident and driving while unfit through drink.
He admitted one offence of driving without third party insurance at an earlier hearing.
However, before proceedings began, Stott changed his plea for the driving while unfit through drink offence to guilty. The prosecution offered no evidence on failing to stop after a road accident and failing to report a road accident charges.
Sentencing Stott, District judge, Mark Daley, said driving while unfit through drink was a "grossly irresponsible" decision.
The judge said Stott's vehicle "struck" Mr Chadwick on the journey back to Pateley Bridge, but added that it would have been "unavoidable" as he was lying in the road.
Judge Daley sentenced Stott to a 12-month community order, which included 10 rehabilitation activity days, 135 hours of unpaid work and an 80-day alcohol abstinence requirement.
He was also disqualified from driving for 20 months and ordered to pay £400 in court costs and a victim surcharge of £114.
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