"I was screaming, shouting at him "Please Blake, please wake up for mummy.”
Those are the heartbreaking words of a mother recalling the moment she last saw her eight year old son and gave him a kiss as he lay in his small coffin. It was a tragedy no mother should ever have to endure.
Blake Consterdine, eight, had been killed in horrific circumstances. His young life was cut short when his drug-driving dad's BMW aquaplaned on the M60.
His father, Leon Clarke, was 13 times the legal drug-driving limit when he "lost control" of his vehicle and smashed into a lorry near Audenshaw, on February 28, 2020. Now, his mother Vicky Consterdine has opened up about living in a 'continuous nightmare' following the tragedy.
Clarke, 40, was jailed for four years yesterday (Monday) after admitting causing death by careless driving whilst over the drug driving limit. He also pleaded guilty to causing death by driving while uninsured.
READ MORE: Traumatised family of six 'lose everything' after devastating bedroom fire destroys home
In a statement issued via Greater Manchester Police today, Vicky Consterdine paid tribute to her "loving" boy" who had a "bright future". She also shared a cherished family photograph of her, Blake and his younger brother Mason.
Vicky said: “Blake was cheeky, he was the joker, he was popular, and he was very clever, he had a bright future. Blake was sensitive, affectionate, protective of Mason, his friends and me.
"He loved school, so much so he couldn’t wait to get back to school on that Monday. He loved his friends, which he had from nursery. He enjoyed street dance, computer games and Lego. Blake loved life and loved his family.
"Having been told by the hospital that Blake had died and seeing Mason with minor injuries. I couldn’t understand how one of my children was okay and the other was dead.
"On the day of Blake’s funeral, he was lay in his coffin. I knew this would be the last time I would see Blake, kiss him and touch his skin. I was screaming, shouting at him "Please Blake, please wake up for mummy.”
"Blake and Mason didn’t get a choice or a chance that day after they left their nana's, all the choices were made for them by their dad who they were both excited to see. He killed my precious Blake by the decisions he made on that day.
"My boys didn’t stand a chance. Now I live in a continuous nightmare that I’m yet to wake from. Mason has lost his best friend and I have lost my beautiful son, and the life and love I once had."
Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Clarke had picked Blake and his six-year-old brother up from their grandparents' home in Middleton at about 1.40pm on the day of the tragedy.
As Clarke drove home along the M60, Blake was sitting in the back seat of the BMW 3 Series while Mason, aged six at the time, was a front seat passenger. It was raining heavily and there was a 'significant amount' of water on the carriageway, the court heard.
The build-up of water is believed to have been caused by a blocked drain and signs on the motorway warned that it was "liable to flooding".
As Clarke drove past junction 23, his BMW was estimated to be travelling at about 76mph in the outside lane. However, as he indicated to move left, he lost control of the vehicle.
"It's clear that loss of control was caused by Mr Clarke aquaplaning on standing water across the carriageway," prosecutor Robin Kitching told the court.
Clarke tried to brake but the BMW veered across three lanes before the rear of the vehicle collided with a highways maintenance lorry parked on the motorway's hard shoulder. The truck had been called out to assess damage caused during another incident in which a vehicle aquaplaned earlier that day.
Other motorists stopped at the scene after witnessing the collision and pulled Blake and Mason from the BMW. While Mason suffered minor injuries, Blake was unconscious and had "serious head and internal injuries".
Both boys were taken to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where Blake was pronounced dead that same afternoon.
Following the incident, Clarke was arrested by police. Tests showed he had 680mg of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, in his blood - more than 13 times the legal limit of 50g. Clarke, of Red Lane, Rochdale, was also not insured to drive the BMW at the time of the incident, the court heard.
When officers examined the BMW, they found its rear tyres to be in "poor condition". The tread on both tyres was below the legal limit while one had a slow puncture with a screw embedded in it.
The lack of grip on the tyres is believed to have contributed to the vehicle having aquaplaned.
Clarke told police he had not checked the tyres when he purchased the car. He claimed to have taken 0.5g of cocaine the night before the incident but said he "felt fine" and had been working as a delivery driver before picking up his sons.
Sentencing Clarke, Judge Mark Savill described Blake's death as "tragic and unnecessary". He told the defendant that the "parlous state" of the BMW's tyres and the speed he was travelling at had "undoubtedly" contributed towards the vehicle aquaplaning.
However, he said there was no evidence to suggest the drugs in his system had affected his driving at the time. Clarke was also banned from driving for four years and will be required to sit an extended retest.
READ NEXT:
-
Man charged with possessing explosive after hand grenade found on street
-
'Rare condition causes bruise-like rashes all over my face... but I'm embracing it'
-
Dad smashed up Ferrari on Deansgate after ‘emotions got the better of him’ following nightclub row
-
"This is the worst it's ever been" - Fear and shock on streets after man stabbed by hooded gang
-
Paedophile jailed after police discovered footage of him abusing his dog
