Teen spared jail after e-scooter crash killed friend

Key facts

• A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been spared jail.
• The teenager was riding an e-scooter at high speed and ran a red light.
• The e-scooter collided with a car, throwing both occupants into the air.
• Jacob Calland, 14, sustained a fatal brain injury and died eight days later.
• The driver received a youth referral order and a five-year driving ban.

A teenager has walked free from court after a horror e-scooter crash that killed his 14-year-old friend. The 15-year-old driver, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was riding the e-scooter at high speed and ran a red light before colliding with a car on Southmoor Road in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, on March 19, 2025. The impact caused both boys to be thrown into the air and into another vehicle. Jacob Calland sustained a catastrophic brain injury and died in hospital eight days later, on March 27, 2025. Prosecutors stated the car had less than a quarter of a second to react. Jacob's mother, Carly, delivered a victim impact statement, describing her heartbreak. The court heard the driver had only had the e-scooter for two weeks, purchased with his savings, and that e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads without a license. CCTV footage showed the pair overtaking vehicles and running the red light. Judge Goddard noted the van driver described the scooter 'whipping' past him at speed. The boy driving admitted knowing red lights meant stop but claimed he thought he didn't have to stop as 'everyone else just goes past red lights'. The judge spared the teen jail, imposing a youth referral order and a five-year driving ban.