Jake was 27 years old when he was tragically killed on a pedestrian crossing by a speeding driver. We supported Jake’s family – his parents John and Janet and his sister Jane – with a civil claim for damages but we also campaigned for over 18 months with the family to force the police to review their evidence and to force them to pursue a criminal prosecution.
The driver of the vehicle – a HGV – was eventually brought before the courts to answer charges of causing death by careless driving. However, despite eye-witness testimony and Tachograph evidence, which showed that the lorry travelled through changing traffic lights at 38mph in a 30mph zone, a judge unbelievably ruled that there was insufficient evidence proving that such careless driving caused Jake’s death. The judge’s decision on evidence is final.
Against this context of injustice, Thompsons' support for Jake’s family continues. We were successful in our claim for damages for Jake’s death in the civil courts and we are proud to continue to campaign for better road safety alongside John and Janet in the North East of England.
“After Jake’s death we faced so many gruelling battles - battles for answers from the police, battles for justice in the criminal courts and a daily battle just to keep going, for Jake’s sake.
“When the police investigation fell apart and a prosecution against the driver wasn’t possible, we felt utterly let down.
“But we were never in it alone. Thompsons was relentless in their support and went above and beyond what we would ever have expected to fight Jake’s corner with us.
“It was never about compensation, but the civil claim gave us a chance to have it on record that the driver was at fault, that someone was accountable for Jake’s death. Throughout all of this Thompsons has been far more than just ‘our lawyers’, they fought tooth and nail with us at every stage.”