JAKE’S SWERVING ALL OVER THE PLACE
Teen driver admits killing pals in midnight terror trip
A LEARNER driver has admitted killing three of his friends in a crash.
Jake Loy, 19, was speeding in his Honda Civic when he lost control and it ploughed into another car.
Passengers Tyler Johnston, Ian Cannon and Finlay Johns – all aged 16 – did not survive the smash on the A711 in Cargenbridge, Kirkcudbrightshire, in March 2022.
A judge heard how Ian had posted a message in a group chat before the crash that he was “scared” in the vehicle and Loy was a “terrible driver”.
Loy – who only held a provisional licence at the time – appeared at the High Court in glasgow.
The first offender pled guilty to a charge of causing the death of the three boys by dangerous driving.
Loy, of Moffat, Dumfriesshire, had his bail continued by Lord Harrower pending reports before sentencing in July.
The teenager had been in his car with Ian and Finlay before travelling to Dumfries to pick up Tyler.
Stephen Jackson, meanwhile, was in the area driving back from a poker night with friends in his Honda Cr-V.
He was on the A711 at a slight bend when he recalled a black car suddenly “coming towards him side-on” around midnight.
Stephen desperately tried to avoid being hit, but Loy’s Honda went “straight into the front”.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC told how it was described as an “almighty impact”.
He added: “The Crown position is the driver’s inexperience and excessive speed were significant factors in the loss of control of the vehicle.”
Loy’s Honda split in two, such was the force of the collision.
One crash investigator said he had “never seen damage like that to a car”. The actual speed Loy was driving at is not known.
An off-duty police officer initially stopped at the scene to help before 999 crews arrived The three boys had already died.
Mr Prentice told how, hours after the crash, a boy in the same Snapchat group as the teenagers saw a message Ian had written before the tragedy.
The advocate depute: “He was saying that he was scared because Jake Loy was swerving all over the place, that he was a terrible driver and he was flooring it.
“It is not possible to pinpoint the precise point in the journey the message was sent.” The court heard Stephen, the driver of the other car, suffered a fractured kneecap and hand.
He is scarred for life and struggles to play with his child and sports he took part in. He has also received psychological treatment.
The charge Loy pled guilty to also stated he seriously injured the man and two of his passengers.
Loy also needed hospital treatment after the crash.
In June 2022, he went with his lawyer to a local police station and claimed he “did not know” the driver at the time of the crash.
Emotional family and friends of the three victims packed the courtroom yesterday.
Mr Prentice told how all three had attended Moffat Academy. Finlay was studying for his Highers, Tyler had gone on to college in Dumfries while Ian had stayed in glasgow after leaving school but had returned to live with his mum and sister.
Donald Findlay KC, defending, later told the hearing Loy had “no recollection” of the crash.
None of the victims’ families commented after the hearing.
Ian told snapchat group he was scared
ALEX PRENTICE KC TELLS OF BOY’S POSTING