A man who caused his ex-girlfriend’s death by pulling the handbrake of her car after an argument on a motorway has been jailed.
Gary Toomey’s ‘selfish and reckless actions’ caused Victoria Bell’s new Black Audi A3 to crash into the central reservation of the M62 near St Helens, Merseyside, a court heard.
They’d been to a music festival in Liverpool and were driving home when Victoria told Toomey she never wanted to speak to him again once she’d dropped him off.
They both survived the initial crash, but Victoria, 34, was hit by a silver Mercedes SUV as she tried to flee the car to the safety of the hard shoulder and died instantly.
Toomey, 37, was yesterday jailed for seven years after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter at an earlier hearing.
Gary Toomey’s ‘selfish and reckless actions’ caused Victoria Bell’s new Black Audi A3 to crash into the central reservation of the M62 near St Helens, Merseyside, a court heard
Liverpool Crown Court heard the pair were travelling on the motorway at 11.30pm on Friday evening, September 24, 2021, when he pulled the hand brake after a row
Liverpool Crown Court heard the pair were travelling on the motorway at 11.30pm on Friday evening, September 24, 2021, when he pulled the hand brake after a row.
She was driving her newly bought Audi in the third lane, the court heard.
Toomey’s action caused the car to spin out of control and plough into the central reservation between junctions seven and eight of the M62.
Toomey, a professional HGV driver, then opened the door and left the car and stood along the grass verge ‘screaming’ for Victoria, the court heard.
As Victoria tried to leave the car herself, she was hit by the oncoming Mercedes.
The driver of the Mercedes said ‘it was really hard to see until the last moment’ and he suddenly could ‘see a black car in view but that was all’, the court heard.
Victoria suffered fractures to her neck, back and a rupture to her heart. She was pronounced dead at the scene despite the best efforts of paramedics.
Toomey was taken to Whiston Hospital to be checked over and was later arrested.
During the police interview, he said he was taking medication for depression and anxiety.
When asked about his relationship with the victim he said that it was ‘great’ until his mental health began to deteriorate.
He said on the day of the crash, the couple had been arguing earlier on the way to Liverpool about directions.
They stayed in Liverpool and both consumed alcohol and they left the festival to travel home at 10:45pm.
During a heating argument on the way back home, the defendant said the driver had said once she had dropped him off she was ‘never going to speak to him again’.
Prosecutor Robert Dudley told the court Victoria lived with her mother in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and was in a short-term relationship with Toomey.
Mr Dudley said told the court the couple once went for a weekend away in Blackpool and Victoria returned with a black eye.
It was heard that the relationship went downhill after six weeks and Toomey moved out of his Victoria’s family home.
Soon after, he sent an email to Victoria’s work, alleging that she was a drug user before sending another admitting he was lying.
The pair would occasionally meet up after they split, the court heard.
In an emotional statement read out in court, Victoria’s mum said: ‘She was cruelly taken from me in a road crash. I don’t have any quality of life anymore.
‘I will never get to hear her ready for work or hear her say ‘mum I am home’.
‘I do not drive, and I used to rely on her to help me. Without her, my life has changed in more ways than you can imagine.
‘Your actions have ruined my life forever. I am trapped in an ever-lasting nightmare. It breaks my heart to know I will never see her again.’
In mitigation, David James said Toomey – who previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter – accepts full culpability for Victoria’s death.
He said: ‘He does describe the spontaneous act of pulling the hand brake and it not being an action to cause harm.
‘His remorse and sorrow is genuine. He does wish to publicly apologise for his behaviour. He was detained under the Mental Health Act after this collision.’
Judge Andrew Menary KC said: ‘She was driving her newly bought Audi A3 car at around 11.30pm.
‘An argument which had been developing for some time had reached a peak. These were stupid arguments but at one point you acted in temper which caused her death.
‘You are an experienced motorist, you are a HGV driver and know the consequences of doing such a thing.
‘It is clear from all the statements that the victim was a loved and cherished person. It is clear that she will be forever deeply missed.
‘There is frankly no sentence that I can pass that will begin to help the loss that this has caused.’
Toomey, of Bolton, Gtr Manchester, was jailed for seven years and banned from driving for 82 months.
