More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Home Sittingbourne News Article
The driver of a car that ran out of petrol on an A249 slip road before it was struck by a van – causing fatal injuries to a teenager – knew the vehicle had been low on fuel, a court heard.
Georgia Mann, 15, died after the stranded Audi A1 Sport, in which she was a back seat passenger, was hit by a VW Caddy being driven by a man who was two-and-a-half times over the alcohol limit.
Van driver Benjamin Henley has already pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving – but now the Audi driver has gone on trial at Maidstone Crown Court.
Andre Trenton's Audi ran out of petrol on October 24, 2018, after he drove past Bobbing Services petrol station, near Sittingbourne, just yards from where the accident happened.
The 22-year-old has denied causing Georgia’s death by driving carelessly after leaving the car on the side of the road to walk to get some fuel.
Prosecutor Peter Forbes told the jury that former Dartford and Ebbsfleet footballer Trenton had been dating Sinead Hayes, whose sister had been best friends with Ms Mann. Both were also passengers in the car.
He said the accident happened just before midnight on a slip road joining the A249 at Bobbing.
“The prosecution case is that both drivers were responsible for the tragic death of Georgia," Mr Forbes said. "That night Trenton had known that he was low on fuel.
“He had plenty of opportunities to get petrol but chose not to. The handbook for his vehicle says that when the warning light comes on there are around seven litres of fuel in the tank.
“He later told police that the petrol warning indicator had been on for 20 to 30 minutes and he had just passed a petrol station as he went onto the slip road.
“Unsurprisingly he did eventually run out of fuel at the point when the Audi was in the ‘live’ lane of a slip road as it came to a stop.”
Mr Forbes said there had been no hard shoulder but there was a drainage channel to the nearside of a gentle slope.
But Trenton, of Malvern Close, Gillingham, stopped the black Audi A1 Sport after putting on its hazard lights.
“If the brakes had been taken off, the car could have gently rolled off the slip road, but that did not happen,” added the prosecutor.
Instead, Trenton and one of his 15-year-old passengers walked to find petrol, leaving Sinead and Georgia in the vehicle.
The court heard how 20 minutes later a friend of Trenton arrived to take him to a petrol station before dropping them off back at the slip road.
Ms Mann was sitting in the back and Sinead in the front for 20 minutes until he returned with petrol.
“He was just about to refuel when another vehicle came into play."
He was just about to refuel when Henley came into view and ploughed into the back of the car.
“He was just about to refuel when another vehicle came into play. Benjamin Henley, driving the VW van, came down the slip road and collided with the back of the stationary Audi.
“Henley was about two and a half times over the legal limit for drink driving and the collision was substantial,” added the prosecutor.
Ms Mann received injuries which proved fatal, Sinead was seriously injured and Trenton was also hurt.
The teenager later told officers how she had decided to stand on a nearby piece of grass as Trenton poured the petrol.
She then saw the lights of the car coming down the slip road and waved as “it was travelling very quickly”.
She added: “I just remember seeing lights...it all happened so fast. I took a couple of steps back and the van went into the back of the Audi.”
Georgia, a former pupil at Westlands School in Sittingbourne, was taken to King’s College Hospital in London but died from her injuries on October 26, 2018.
The trial continues.
For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.
