"Become more than the boy racer who killed his friend" says grieving mum

Amanda Irvine has spoken out after the conviction of Jake Summers for causing death by careless driving

Author: Joe OdberPublished 1st Dec 2023

A grieving North East family wants the driver responsible for their son's death to do "something of value with his life."

Dylan Irvine was killed when the car he was a passenger in spun out of control on the A90 near Crimond three years ago.

19-year-old Dylan was injured, but the driver Jake Summers managed to crawl free and spent the night waiting for emergency services to find him.

It's believed he'd been driving faster than 90mph when he crashed.

He plead not guilty, but a jury at Aberdeen Sheriff Court has found the 21-year-old guilty of causing death by careless driving.

In a statement via Digby Brown, Dylan’s mum Amanda Irvine said: “Losing a loved one in any sudden event is horrendous but losing a child brings a pain like nothing else which only other bereaved parents could understand.

“Dylan’s absence has created a void in our family that simply cannot, and will not ever, be filled – it breaks my heart that I have to remember the laugh and cuddle of my son instead of hear and feel them.

“Each day I go to work I have to drive along the same road, the very spot, where Dylan died. It’s agonising, because each time I pass it creates anxiety as I imagine what happened in those final moments and how the crash might have been avoided.

“No sentence could come remotely close to reflecting the value of Dylan’s life or the significance of his loss and while accountability is important I know it doesn’t make sense to rob another young man of a future.

“But it’s not enough to just feel bad or say sorry because what matters is action.

“So I hope Jake sees the outcome for what it is – an opportunity to improve, live rightly, help others and do something of value with his life and become more than just the boy racer who killed his friend.

“I’d finally like to thank everyone who has supported us over the last three years but as proceedings are now over I kindly request our privacy is respected as we attempt to move forwards.”

Jake Summers will be sentenced on the 29th of December.

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