Woman pleads guilty to deaths of teens following two-vehicle collision at North Rauceby
A woman faces a "very long jail sentence" after admitting to causing the deaths of two Lincolnshire teenagers by dangerous driving.
Natasha Allarakhia, 35, also pleaded guilty to a third charge of causing serious injury to a passenger by dangerous driving.
It follows the deaths of two teenagers on the A17 after a collision at North Rauceby, Lincolnshire, on June 20 last year.
William Ray, 17, and 18-year-old Eddie Shore died after the Ford Fiesta they were in was involved in a collision with an Audi Q2 on the A17 at North Rauceby.
Two other passengers in the Fiesta suffered injuries and were taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
At the time of the collision, police said the occupants of the Audi sustained minor injuries.
Allarakhia, of Turner Crescent, Norwich, appeared at Lincoln Crown Court this morning wearing a white suit jacket, black trousers and a brown top.
She spoke only to confirm her name and date of birth and wept as she pleaded guilty to causing the deaths of William Ray on June 21 and Eddie Shore on June 22 by dangerous driving.
Allarakhia also admitted a third charge of causing serious injury to a passenger on June 20.
David Eager, prosecuting, asked for sentencing to be adjourned so victim impact statements could be taken from the families and friends of the two teenagers.
“There are people who want to speak about these two young men and how this has affected them,” Mr Eager said.
Edward Renvoize, defending Allarakhia, said his client appreciated that a “very long prison sentence” was inevitable but asked for her bail to be extended until the sentencing date.
Mr Renvoize told the court: “There are children involved.”
Judge Catarina Sjölin Knight agreed to the request and adjourned sentencing until August 18 after asking for a pre-sentence report on Allarakhia.
But the judge told Allarakhia: “This has to be a very long sentence.”
Judge Sjölin Knight explained: “You have pleaded guilty to three serious offences that arise out of one piece of conduct.
“You know what the outcome will be.”
Allarakhia was also made the subject of an interim driving ban.
Following the teenagers’ deaths, tributes were paid by Carre’s Grammar School in Sleaford.
The pair were described as “lovely lads” by headteacher Nick Law.
He said their deaths had “really rocked the whole community”.
Mr Law described Will as ‘a selfless individual who enjoyed the success of other people’.
Will was a good sportsman and talented academic who played rugby and football, and was part of the school team in Years 7 and 8 for gymnastics, winning bronze at the national finals in Stoke-on-Trent.
He was hardworking, personable, conscientious and sociable, and involved in a lot of different groups.
He was due to study aerospace engineering at Sheffield University after travelling.
Mr Law added: “Eddie was a very down-to-earth, self-deprecating and grounded young man who loved life. Sociable and well connected with many different people, both in and out of school.
“He was selfless and a total team player. He played in goal for the 1st XI last year purely because we didn’t have a keeper. He wanted the team and school to succeed.
“He was a passionate Liverpool FC supporter and was due to take up a place at Leeds Beckett University to study sport and exercise science after travelling.”
- Later this month, friends of William Ray and Eddie Shore will take part in the Will Ray Memorial Sevens Tournament at Sleaford Rugby Club.
The event on June 21, held in aid of the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance, will mark the anniversary of the crash that claimed the teenagers' lives.
