Woman who caused car crash death of two while ‘hurrying’ to beauty salon spared jail

Laila Barnard-Wigley was driving her Mercedes Benz when she caused a head-on collision that killed Dean Yarrow, 33, and Faye Wardle, 32, while ‘hurrying’ to a beauty salon

A woman who caused the deaths of two people while she was “in a hurry” to get to a beauty salon before it closed has been spared jail.

Laila Barnard-Wigley was behind the wheel of her Mercedes when she caused a “head-on” crash. Hull Crown Court was told that Barnard-Wigley was travelling at excessive speed given the conditions following “biblical” downpours of rain that had left the carriageway saturated – with her vehicle likely “aquaplaning” into an approaching car, resulting in “catastrophic” outcomes.

The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to causing the deaths of Dean Yarrow, 33, and his partner, Faye Wardle, 32, through careless driving on May 7, 2021. In December 2023, jurors failed to reach unanimous decisions and she was scheduled for a retrial.

She subsequently altered her pleas to guilty.

Michael Greenhalgh, for the prosecution, explained that the crash occurred shortly before 3.30pm as Barnard-Wigley operated a black Mercedes Benz vehicle on the A165, close to the Grindale junction, Bridlington. She collided with a red Peugeot 208 being driven northbound by Mr Yarrow, with his partner, Miss Wardle, occupying the front passenger position, reports the Mirror.

A young boy was secured in a child seat at the back.

Barnard-Wigley’s vehicle drifted across the carriageway and smashed into the oncoming car. There was a “head-on collision” and prosecutors alleged that Barnard-Wigley was travelling at a velocity unsuitable for the adverse weather circumstances.

Mr Greenhalgh explained that the woman was “in a hurry” to reach a Bridlington beauty salon before its 3.30pm closing time, as she intended to sell some beauty products there. Earlier in the day, she had been messaging a friend who worked at the salon.

The prosecutor described how the Mercedes driver was overtaking other vehicles “to make rapid progress through traffic” prior to the accident.

Barnard-Wigley likely lost control of her vehicle after hitting a patch of standing water. She sustained severe injuries and was rushed to hospital.

Mr Yarrow’s mother expressed in a statement that she thought she “understood grief”, but she had “never known so much pain” and her world was shattered. She “put on a brave face” just to get through each day, but inside she felt numb.

“I am broken beyond repair,” she said. “It has been a very difficult four-and-a-half years since we lost Dean and Faye,” she added.

Miss Wardle’s father shared that the “silence is deafening again” in his home following the tragic losses. “My life at home is a very sad one,” he admitted, often contemplating what could have been.

Miss Wardle’s sister paid tribute, saying: “She was the person I looked up to.”

She also mourned the loss of her friend, Mr Yarrow, who was a vital part of her family. “They were both the life and soul of any party,” she reminisced.

“It feels like part of my identity has been taken. I know that I am not the person I used to be.”

Richard Dawson, in his defence statement, expressed: “On any view, this is a tragic case, which has had catastrophic consequences. May I express our condolences to family and friends. The sentence that this court imposes cannot restore Dean and Faye to life.

“Laila Barnard-Wigley simply did not appreciate the risks associated with aquaplaning when driving in wet conditions,” Mr Dawson stated. She was travelling at speeds similar to other drivers, but she acknowledged that she should have exercised more caution.

“Had she been driving more slowly, she might not have aquaplaned,” Mr Dawson pointed out. He characterised the incident as “an entirely out of character event” and mentioned that Barnard-Wigley “would seek to apologise for what she has now seen to be her careless driving” and for the “upset and heartbreaking distress” caused following the collision.

Barnard-Wigley had no prior convictions and maintained a good driving record. She received a 21-month suspended prison sentence, 200 hours of unpaid work, and a six-month curfew from 9pm to 6am.

She was disqualified from driving for five years and must pass an extended retest before she can legally drive again.

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