Carnforth Tesla supercar smash which left four children injured leads to two year ban for 'show off' driver

A dangerous driver left four children hurt after his attempts to  "show off" on icy roads in his high powered supercar ended in him crashing into a tree at speed.
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Mark Johnson, 47, of Pinehurst Walk, Great Sankey, Warrington, Cheshire, was travelling five times over the speed limit - in ludicrous mode - behind the wheel of a Tesla P100D, which mounted a grass verge near the Pine Lake Resorts in Carnforth on January 18, 2020.

At the time he had set the vehicle into 'ludicrous mode' - which gives a 10% boost to the vehicle's acceleration, Preston's Sessions House Court heard, and it collided with a tree.

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Occupants injured after electronic supercar hits tree at Carnforth
Four youngsters were hurt in the crashFour youngsters were hurt in the crash
Four youngsters were hurt in the crash
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Two girls were left with serious injuries, including lacerations to the liver, broken ribs, bruised bowels and lungs, whiplash, and ongoing physical and emotional effects.

One had to be treated for five days in the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

Johnson, who is of previous good character apart from two speeding offences, later admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Prosecuting, Suzanne Hargreaves said: " Two children were seriously hurt and two others significantly injured.

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"This defendant was showing off and in my submission it was planned showing off."

Sessions House Court was told one girl was left unable to do sports at school and was anxious on car journeys.

The second victim still needs physiotherapy and was brought to tears on some car journeys.

Recorder Richard Archer, jailed him for 16 months, suspended for two years "by the slimmest of margins" and imposed 180 hours of unpaid work, a two year ban and extended retest.

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Remarking the dangers "were obvious", he added: "I dare say it's an evening and series of events you will not forget for a very long time.

"It was, in my judgement, dangerous, reckless in the extreme to operate your high powered motor vehicle in the way you did in circumstances where the only motivation was to show off.

"True it was those young girls wanted a ride in the fancy car.

"The electric car revolution is just beginning to sweep the country and I can well imagine why young children would have thought it particularly fun.

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"You did something that was the very opposite of keeping them safe because you, having known what the conditions were because you slipped on ice yourself, took a decision - which must have been a positive decision - to place this vehicle into what was known as ludicrous mode...and drove five times over the speed limit for those semi private roads, in icy conditions, with four children in the back, knowing in my judgment there was a very, very substantial risk you would be unable to negotiate any bends.

"It turned out of course that's exactly what happened."

He must pay £425 towards costs.