Cowardly Rotherham man jailed for 16 months for horror death crash which robbed two young girls of their mum

Deryon King, aged 24, left Megan Borrows seriously in the wreckage of a car before sending a text message saying ‘I think I killed my friends,’ a court has heard.

King, of Bennett Street, Kimberworth, was under the influence of alcohol while behind the wheel of a Rover MG ZS when he ploughed into two parked vehicles.

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Sheffield Crown Court heard how King fled the scene of the crash leaving ‘devoted’ and ‘loving’ mum, Megan Borrows, 24, fighting for life in the backseat.

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The talented dancer, from Rawmarsh, died as a result of her injuries following the crash on Kimberworth Road, Kimberworth, Rotherham on June 8, 2017.

Her two daughters were just five and one at the time.

During King’s sentencing hearing today, it was claimed that King told police officers ‘lie after lie’ in a bid to escape justice, only finally admitting the offence earlier this year.

He was jailed for 16 months for causing death by careless driving.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said: "Your driving may only be characterised as deplorable.

"Furthermore, after the collision, you behaved as only a coward. You ran off, leaving that young woman for dead.

"When the police spoke with you you lied, it's plain to me you were quite an accomplished liar.

"Lie after lie after lie was told...you are a coward."

King was driving with friends Joshua Faley in the front and Megan and Joe Marsh in the back when it smashed into parked cars and a pile of building material at the roadside.

The motorist, who was 22 at the time and not insured to drive', fled the scene, leaving Ms Borrows to die in the backseat.

Richard Thyne, prosecuting, told an earlier hearing that following the crash, Mr Marsh had been heard to say: “We’ve got to get out, it’s serious”, before King replied: “Come on. Let’s go.”

King, who had no previous convictions later sent a text reading: “I think I killed my friends.”

When King was apprehended by police, he told them another vehicle had been involved in the collision in a bid to avoid being held responsible, the court heard.

Sukhdev Garcha, representing King, said his client had not driven since the night of the crash and he has no plans on getting back behind the wheel.

The court heard King, who is ‘ashamed’ and ‘remorseful’ over his actions, has suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-like symptoms since the collision.

Judge Richardson QC said King admitted being intoxicated at the time of the crash but that a test could not be carried out in the immediate aftermath of it.

Had there been physical evidence of his drunkenness, King would likely have been charged with the more serious offence of death by dangerous driving, the court heard.

Sentencing, Judge Richardson QC said it had been impossible for investigators to determine how fast King was driving but said he is ‘convinced’ it was above the speed limit.

He said: "Had you been driving the limit the collision would not have occurred and even if it had it would not have occurred in the devastating way it eventuated.

"You made off in what can only be described as an acutely high level of cowardice.

"The sentence I pass upon you can never replace any form of value on the life of the deceased young woman.

"The family of Megan Borrows have been devastated by her death.

"She was the mother of two young children, they are now motherless.

"You are the cause of that unimaginable tragedy."