Dad admits manslaughter after son dies on M62 in West Yorkshire
12-year-old Callum Rycroft died on the motorway in August 2023
A dad has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his disabled young son.
12-year-old Callum Rycroft died on 5th August 2023, when a car struck him as he tried to cross the M62 with his dad, Matthew Rycroft.
The Crown Prosecution Service say Rycroft, 36, had visited his parents in Huddersfield with his son Callum and had been drinking throughout the day.
His parents urged him not to drive and offered him a place to stay overnight, but Rycroft refused and drove away.
Witnesses say they saw an Audi driving erratically on the M62, before it collided with a crash barrier.
Rycroft then managed to exit the motorway at Hartshead Services where he hit a kerb and overturned the car.
Rycroft and Callum then began to walk toward the main carriageway, and were seen crossing the central reservation.
They then for an unknown reason tried to run back, and Callum was struck by an oncoming vehicle and died instantly.
Tom Neofytou from the CPS said: “This is an absolutely tragic incident involving the death of a 12-year-old boy.
“His father’s insistence on driving whilst under the influence of alcohol is beyond comprehension.
"Rycroft continued to drive despite his parents’ best efforts to stop him. His decision to leave the scene of the crash and attempt to cross the motorway whilst responsible for a young boy was reckless folly.
“Callum paid the ultimate price for his father’s careless and criminal actions, and the rest of his family are left to mourn his loss. Our deepest sympathies remain with them.”
Rycroft will be sentenced at a later date.