A Learner Driver Has Been Sentenced For A Tragedy That Killed Three Pals
A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison after admitting to killing three of his companions while driving dangerously near Dumfries in March 2022.
Jake Loy, who was 17 at the time and did not have a full license, was driving on the A711 when he collided with another vehicle.
His three 16-year-old passengers, Finlay Johns, Ian Cannon, and Tyler Johnston, perished, while three males in the second car were injured.
Loy was imprisoned by the High Court in Glasgow.
Alan Johns, Finlay’s father, spoke outside the courtroom following the sentencing, claiming that the tragedy had devastated the lives of hundreds.
“There are no winners; the sentencing is what we expected, but it’s very, very lenient,” remarked the defendant.
He characterized his son as a “beautiful boy” who was “easy to lead.”
“He had his whole life in front of him; he was going to college,” he informed me.
Finlay’s brother, Grant, added, “No sentence could ever be enough; he’s taken our brother, he’s ruined our family, he’s ripped our family apart.”
Loy, who had a temporary license, had gone on a drive with his buddies on the evening of Tuesday, March 15.
He collided with another vehicle on the A711 near Cargenbridge, close outside Dumfries, around 00:15 on Wednesday morning.
The three lads from Moffat died on the scene.
Loy, along with the three individuals in the other car, sustained significant injuries.
The court had previously heard that there had been an “almighty impact” and Loy’s Honda had split in two as a result of the incident.
Prosecutors stated the driver’s inexperience and high speed were “significant factors” in his loss of control of the car.
One experienced collision investigator stated that he had “never seen damage like that to a car.”.
The court was told that a boy in the same Snapchat group as the youngsters saw a message sent by Ian Cannon prior to the incident.
He claimed: “He was saying that he was scared because Jake Loy was swerving all over the place, that he was a terrible driver, and he was flooring it.”
Donald Findlay KC, defending, stated that his client had “no recollection of the crash,” hence the cause of the loss of control could not be ascertained.
In mitigation, he told the court: “It was very telling and quite moving when he said if he could take their place, he would—he would rather it had been him.”
He stated that there had been “no badness, no malice” in the activities that led to the catastrophe.
According to reports, “very clear and strong evidence of the survivor’s guilt” exists.
In addition to his jail sentence, Loy was barred from driving for eight years and will have to take an additional test before he can drive again.
In passing punishment, Judge Lord Harrower stated that Loy was not only unqualified but also lacked knowledge of the car’s performance at high speeds and in bad conditions.”The victim impact statements all bear witness to the terrible devastation you caused to the lives of the family members of those you injured.”
He stated that no penalty could “alleviate their anguish” and that driving alone was a crucial aspect to consider.
