Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Bridlington Driver Admits Causing Couple’s Deaths by Careless Driving

Sentencing is set for January following a plea change ahead of a planned retrial.

Overview

  • Laila Barnard-Wigley, 27, pleaded guilty at Hull Crown Court to two counts of causing death by careless driving and remains on unconditional bail until sentencing in January.
  • Dean Yarrow and Faye Wardle died at the scene of the May 7, 2021 head-on crash on the A165 near the Grindale Road junction in Bridlington, and their two-year-old son survived with serious injuries.
  • She previously faced dangerous-driving allegations in a 2023 trial where jurors were discharged after failing to reach verdicts and were directed to return not‑guilty verdicts on the dangerous‑driving counts due to insufficient evidence.
  • Court reporting cited heavy rain and possible aquaplaning, multiple overtaking attempts shortly before the collision, and messages indicating she was hurrying to a Bridlington beauty salon.
  • Humberside Police described a complex, lengthy investigation and urged the public to report unsafe driving, including via the Op Snap online tool.