Man jailed for two years after admitting causing deaths of teenagers
Edward Spencer has also been disqualified for eight years
Last updated 28th Apr 2025
A 19-year-old Warwickshire man's been jailed for two years for causing the death of three people and seriously injuring three others by careless driving in a collision between Chipping Campden & Shipston on Stour in April 2023.
The collision happened when Edward Spencer from Armscote Road, Newbold on Stour, lost control of his car on the B4035 Campden Road on the way home from school.
Following the collision, 17-year-old Harry Purcell, 16-year-old Tilly Seccombe and 16-year-old Frank Wormald, who were passengers in Spencer’s car, died as a result of the injuries they suffered.
A woman and two young children, who were travelling in another car, were seriously injured and continue to receive treatment for their life-changing injuries.
Spencer has been sentenced at Warwick Crown Court today (Monday 28th April) and in addition to his prison term, has been disqualified from driving for eight years.
He'll need to take an extended re-test following his ban.
He had passed his driving test just five weeks before the collision.
The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Sergeant Stephen Barr from Warwickshire Police said: "This was a truly tragic collision, and our thoughts remain with all those involved and affected by what happened.
"Edward Spencer was an inexperienced driver who made decisions on that day that changed many lives forever. He and all the families affected will have to live with the consequences of what he did for the rest of their lives.
"As this tragic case shows the consequences of careless driving can be devastating.
"Any death is difficult to come to terms with but for 3 young lives to be lost who each had so much to look forward to is extremely challenging.
"We know this conviction will not bring comfort to the loved ones of the three teenagers who lost their lives as well as those who were seriously injured, but we welcome the Judge’s decision in this matter.”
Family responses
Juliet Seccombe, Tilly's mum, has released a statement through police responding to the sentence - and called for graduated driving licences to be introduced.
That's where young drivers wouldn't be allowed to carry passengers for a certain time after passing their test, for the safety of themselves and others in their vehicles.
The statement says: "There are no winners here today – only losers. We have lost our beautiful daughter who had a zest for life and had her future mapped out before her. A life that I know would have achieved great things.
"Edward Spencer took away that life due to his reckless behaviour putting his own ego before the safety of himself, his passengers and other road users. No sentence will bring back our daughter and we take little comfort in the punishment of someone else’s son. However, we hope that Edward Spencer can at last reflect on his actions and finally accept responsibility for the devastation he has caused and learns to atone.
"We would like to thank all the emergency services who attended the scene, the hospital staff and the police investigation team. All of which have shown us incredible kindness and support.
"Even though the numbers of young drivers have dropped significantly since 2010, In 2023 they caused 4,959 deaths and serious injury on the roads. That is over 95 per week. This number has increased by 11% from the year before according to government data, and these collisions are almost never an accident.
"They are nearly always preventable, and it’s due to young drivers using or holding mobile phones, inappropriate speed or speeding on rural roads, risk taking and showing off, as well as drug abuse all of which when you combine this with inexperience is a recipe for disaster.
£The saddest part about it is, that it’s generally innocent bystanders or other road users who are killed or suffer life changing injuries – not the irresponsible driver!
"I now want to say this to the Government. Whilst you are not considering Graduated Driving Licences, you have recognised that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads. You have been exploring options to tackle the root causes of this for decades.
"It’s time for action – not procrastination! Otherwise, more families will suffer the devastating loss of their loved ones."
Toni Purcell, Harry's mum, has also shared a statement, via Warwickshire Police:
"Words don't come easy to try and explain the pain of losing your child. It's an indescribable pain felt every minute of every day. A never-ending nightmare, now a lifetime of sadness.
"We had loved every minute of watching Harry grow into such a kind, loving and so very funny young man. Now we can only imagine what his future would have been.
"He had always wanted Chelsea season tickets. For years we'd tried to get them for him btu couldn't, however last year Chelsea contacted us to say that they had some available. Sadly Harry will never got to enjoy them.
"Not only has Harry been taken from us, he's been taken from his sister and his twin brother. We'll never get the chance to say I love you again. We'll never got the chance to laugh with him.
"Every birthday, every holiday, every milestone so painful that Harry won't be there with us. The guilt we carry that's we're still here and Harry's life taken. Our hearts are broken beyond repair. We now only have memories that we'll hold tight forever.
"Let's not forget the police, paramedics, firefighters. They witnessed that day, what they witness every day. We'd like to thank each and every one of them.
"For the last two years, we have heard so many rumours, opinions and untruths circulating about what happened. This has been incredibly difficult to hear and we're now glad that the truth will finally be heard.
"Edward Spencer was speeding when he killed our son. Our family and so many other families will forever be impacted by his actions that day. Harry's death was completely aviodable.
"It has taken almost two years for him to plead guilty and two years of us attending several court hearings. Each so hard to bare and each time learning of his not guilty pleas. Edward, and his family, have shown no empathy or remorse towards us.
"We will never forgive him."