By Grâçia Ada Obi
A United Kingdom (UK) biker Jake Barton who killed his girlfriend Laura Carrillo in a horror crash has been spared jail after the victim’s family made an emotional plea to the Judge asking them to show mercy, saying: ‘He loved her.’
Laura Carrillo, 27, was killed when she fell off Jake Barton’s KTM RC 390 motorcycle and into the path of an oncoming vehicle near Whitchurch, Shropshire.
The Spanish national, who had been living in the UK since 2017, was pronounced dead at the scene along the A41 on October 12 last year. Barton, of Stafford, went on to plead guilty to causing death by careless driving and had been facing jail when he was sentenced on Tuesday October 15.
However, the 24-year-old avoided a custodial sentence after Ms Carrillo’s family asked the court not to send him to prison. Her brother Jaime Carrillo sent victim impact statements to District Judge Ian Barnes who was sentencing Barton at Telford Magistrates Court.
Prosecutor Sara Beddow read out the statement, which said: “We do not want Jake to go to prison, we do not believe it would in any way help or relieve the pain.”
Mr Carrillo said that the Carrillo-Sanchez family “did not perceive Jake as a criminal” and felt that he had been “punished enough” by her death. He added: “He loved my sister. There is no greater punishment than watching my sister die.”
He added that the death of his sister had “destroyed” their lives. He said their parents have undergone counselling and 85-year-old grandmother is said to be “not able to overcome her absence. We are forever impacted, forever devastated,” he said.
Madrid-born Ms Carrillo, was described in family victim impact statements as a sporty, ice hockey-playing biology student who enjoyed life to the full.
Ms Beddow said the crash in Prees Higher Heath had been a case of a “momentary loss of concentration”. Adrian Roberts, defending, said Barton had himself been “struggling to come to terms with the tragic events.”
He added: “The two had been working together for eight months. He is clearly devastated and struggled to explain how he feels.”
Mr Roberts said a pick-up truck in front of Barton’s motorcycle, travelling at about 40mph, had braked “suddenly”. Barton had been “too close” and had attempted to avoid a collision by steering to the right. Mr Roberts said: “He caught the rear offside of the Toyota Hilux and [Ms Carrillo] fell off.”
He added that Barton, a contract catering events manager, had continued to work despite the “burden of guilt”.
District Judge Ian Barnes said it had been a “desperately tragic case for everyone involved” and passed his condolences to Ms Carrillo’s family. He said Barton had “reacted too late”, and tried to take evasive action. The court was told that traffic had been travelling at about 40mph.
The judge said: “You did not set out to cause harm but you carry the responsibility. It is clear that Laura dearly loved and lived life to the full. Her joy was infectious.”
The judge handed down a 26-week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, saying that there is a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation.” Barton will also have to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work in the community, attend 20 rehabilitation activity days, and was also ordered to pay a victims’ surcharge of £154 and prosecution costs of £85.
He has also been banned from driving for 18 months after which he will have to pass an extended driving test before getting behind the wheel again.
In a tribute issued previously, Ms Carrillo’s family said: “Laura lit up every single room she entered. She was fiery, energetic, adventurous, kind and beautifully crazy. She loved to travel and explore, and we are grateful that she saw as much of the world as she did before she passed.
“We know the world is a better place because of her influence. She was a much-loved daughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend. Words cannot express how much we will miss her and how forever changed our lives are now.”