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Boy racers showing off with “childish bravado” killed a much-loved and talented teenager with their “idiotic” driving as he went for a jog near his home.

All William Dorey wanted was some fresh air and exercise after a day revising for his A-level exams.

But as he jogged close to his home in Whitley Bay , his promising young life was cruelly and brutally cut short by the competitive driving of Joshua Cherukara and Harry Cable.

The pair had been racing for more than four miles from Blyth in a sustained and deliberate course of dangerous driving.

A court heard Cherukara was doing more than 80mph in a 30mph zone when he lost control, mounted a pavement and ploughed into William.

(Image: Northumbria Police)

The 18-year-old stood no chance and was catapulted 53 metres down the road, suffering catastrophic head and neck injuries and nothing could be done to save him.

His parents, Hugh and Gill, became worried when he failed to return from his run and when Mr Dorey went out to look for him, he came upon the scene of the fatal collision and the horror slowly dawned on him and his wife that their precious boy was dead.

Now Cherukara and Cable - who had passed his test just days earlier and has gone on to get another speeding conviction for doing 45mph in a 30 zone while on bail - have both been jailed at Newcastle Crown Court after they admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Judge Paul Sloan QC told them: “You both took a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road and showed a total disregard, causing great danger to other road users.

“You each engaged in a prolonged, persistent and deliberate course of bad driving involving excessive speed, racing and competitive driving, as well as aggressive driving.

(Image: Northumbria Police)

“Each of you had a passenger or passengers who you placed at risk in addition to the great dangers you posed to other road users.

“I have no doubt showing off with childish bravado played a part that night.”

The judge added: “William’s father has detailed his son’s many fine qualities. He was a young man with enormous potential.

“That precious human life, that huge potential, has been cruelly, needlessly, prematurely ended by your actions.”

The court heard Cherukara and Cable, who were known to each other, had left the Mermaid restaurant car park, in Blyth, in convoy around 9.30pm on May 7 last year.

There followed a prolonged episode of dangerous driving over the four-and-a-half miles to the scene of the fatal collision on the A193 Links Road, at Whitley Bay.

Other road users spotted Cherukara, 19 at the time and driving a Renault Megane 1.6 and Cable, 17 at the time and driving a 1.2 Vauxhall Corsa, driving aggressively down the coast.

One woman who was tailgated described them as “idiots”, as did another road user who encountered them and who said it was clear they were racing.

Cable had been in front, with Cherukara close behind, but as they entered a dual carriageway section of road near Whitley Bay Caravan Park and St Mary’s Lighthouse, Cherukara undertook Cable and took the lead after a spell driving “neck and neck”.

The court heard Cable pulled out of the race at that point and Cherukara lost control on a bend, mounting the path and hitting William.

A police investigation showed Cherukara had been doing between 80mph and 86mph when he lost control on a 30mph section of the road.

Cable, by this time doing around 50mph, came upon the scene of the collision a few seconds later and did not stop. He later returned but did not make himself known to police.

(Image: Northumbria Police)

Officers noticed Cherukara’s car smelled of cannabis and tests showed he was over the drug driving limit for the drug.

Cherukara, now 20, of Dachet Road, Whitley Bay, and Cable, now 18, of Deneholm, Whitley Bay, both admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Cherukara was sent to a young offenders’ institution for six years and nine months and Cable got four-and-a-half years. Both will be banned from driving for four years after their release and must sit extended tests if they want to get their licences back.

Brian Hegarty, for Cherukara, said he apologises and added: “Mr Cherukara is aware of what he has done, he is aware of the immeasurable pain and suffering he has caused.”

Mr Hegarty said the cannabis in Cherukara’s system was at “trace levels” and he was not impaired by it.

He said the driving was out of character, that Cherukara was studying for A-levels at the time and has started a course at Newcastle University in mechanical engineering.

Mr Hegarty added: “He is devastated at what he has done and acknowledges the devastating effect his actions have had on the Dorey family.”

Jamie Hill QC, for Cable, said: “He recognises the devastation that has been caused.

“He is guilty of causing death by dangerous driving but the CCTV evidence does support his assertion that he had tried to withdraw from what was going on. His plea is a recognition he left it far too late and his behaviour up to that point was an operative cause of the accident.

“He was 100 metres behind Mr Cherukara at the point of the accident.

“He didn’t lose control of his car but is still responsible for the offence.

“His immaturity has led him to behave in this way.”

Mr Hill said Cable did not realise there had been a collision with a pedestrian when he failed to stop at the scene.

He added: “A former senior police officer has spoken of his normal character and sporting achievements.

“This behaviour does not reflect the way he usually conducted himself at school and in the community.”