Motorcyclist avoids jail after killing girlfriend in crash

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 15 Oct, 17:33 · Archive

Newly qualified motorcyclist Gabriel Horsley-Ling received a suspended sentence after his girlfriend Carla Scown, 19, was killed when he undertook an HGV on Yarm Road, Darlington.

Gabriel Horsley-Ling, a newly qualified motorcyclist, admitted causing death by dangerous driving after attempting to undertake an HGV whilst riding through busy Darlington traffic on Yarm Road on 28 February 2024. His girlfriend, Carla Scown, 19, was riding as his pillion passenger on his black Honda CBF 125 motorbike. When Horsley-Ling tried to squeeze between the kerb and the lorry near the junction with Barrington Way at around 5.30pm, he collided with the trailer. Scown was thrown under the wheels of the lorry and crushed to death.

A witness driving behind the motorcycle saw the teenager thrown from the bike. The HGV driver was unaware of the incident and continued driving until police stopped him on the A58 in West Yorkshire. An accident investigation found that the collision occurred when Horsley-Ling undertook with insufficient room to complete the manoeuvre. He had told police he attempted to undertake because debris was coming off the HGV.

At Teesside Crown Court, Scown's mother Fiona said in a victim statement that her 'beautiful' daughter's death had devastated the family. 'Carla had so many plans for her life. She wanted to travel the world, buy her own home and become a mam herself,' she said. Scown's father said he held no hatred towards Horsley-Ling, describing it as 'a split-second decision led to more bad decisions'. The 23-year-old, who had no previous convictions, received a suspended sentence.

How it is being reported

• Motorcyclist avoids jail after passenger girlfriend killed in HGV crash in DarlingtonGabriel Horsley-Ling admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was handed a suspended sentenceTeessideLive · 15 Oct, 17:09
• Newly-qualified biker who killed girlfriend in Darlington HGV crash avoids jailMotorcyclist Gabriel Horsley-Ling receives suspended sentence after girlfriend Carla Scown, 19, was killed in an HGV crash in Darlington.The Northern Echo · 15 Oct, 16:00
• LIVE - Motorcyclist who caused death of passenger, 19, in Darlington crash to be sentencedDarlington motorcyclist Gabriel Horsley-Ling admits causing death by dangerous driving after Yarm Road crash killed pillion passenger Carla Scown.The Northern Echo · 15 Oct, 14:09

In this story: Gabriel Horsley-Ling · Carla Scown · Darlington · Teesside Crown Court

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem