Two men have been locked up following the tragic deaths of a 50-year-old killed in a hit-and-run and a 'cherished' son who died after his 'friend' fled police during a 100mph chase. Jason Goostrey, 50, was crossing the road in Rochdale when he was hit by a stolen Skoda.
Two months later, Simbarashe Prosper Mhepo, 27, was killed after his 'close friend' Alan McDonagh crashed in Heywood after fleeing from police, reaching speeds of more than 100mph. McDonagh tried to blame Mr Mhepo, a mental health worker who was the front seat passenger, by claiming he'd been driving at the time of the crash, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
McDonagh had been a passenger in the Skoda weeks earlier, with another man named Patrick Doran. Both were sentenced for aggravated vehicle taking, after prosecutors were unable to prove who was driving the Skoda when Mr Goostrey was killed.
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McDonagh, 19, who admitted killing Mr Mhepo, has been jailed for nine years while Doran, 32, was locked up for five years. Both will serve half of their sentences in prison.
Tributes have been paid to Mr Goostrey, who was described as a 'lovely, pleasant guy'. Mr Mhepo was said to be 'full of life' and 'a friend to all in his community'.
Addressing his son's killer, Mr Mhepo's father said: "Prosper thought you were friends and trusted you, and you brought evil into his life." Prosecutors told how McDonagh stole the Skoda Superb from the car park of a firm in Rochdale on January 5.
The following day, he and Doran were in the car when Mr Goostrey was crossing Milnrow Road at about 4.40pm, prosecutor Mark Kellet said. The Skoda overtook an Audi and drove onto the wrong side of the road, hitting Mr Goostrey and causing catastrophic neck injuries.
The car did not stop, and Mr Goostrey died about a week later. McDonagh pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, and denied being the driver.
Doran was convicted of the same offence. The judge said it was 'not possible to say' whether he was the driver or a passenger.
Tributes were paid to Mr Goostrey following his death. Martina Smith, whose dad was close friends with him, told the M.E.N. previously: "My kids loved him. He was just a lovely, pleasant guy.
"It's just devastating. Its had a massive impact on his mum. He had been living in a hostel in Rochdale and had just secured a flat which makes it even sadder. He was really excited about it, couldn't wait to move in and was looking forward to the future."
While he was on bail, McDonagh, who was banned from driving, was behind the wheel of a BMW 318d on Rochdale Road East, with Mr Mhepo on the front passenger seat, just before midnight on March 20. McDonagh drove past a police car at speed and officers began to chase the BMW.
In a high speed pursuit which lasted just over a minute, police drove at 104mph to keep up with McDonagh. He then drove onto the wrong side of the road to overtake another car.
Shortly after, McDonagh drove the wrong way around a pedestrian island and crashed. He hit the kerb and collided with a shop front and a signal post, as well as a car.
The two men, who were both not wearing seatbelts, were thrown from the BMW. Mr Mhepo died the following day after suffering a fractured skill.
McDonagh was seriously hurt but survived. He remained in hospital until March 29 and was arrested after being discharged.
Tests found he had alcohol and cocaine in his system, but at levels not above the legal limits. When McDonagh was interviewed by police, he tried to blame Mr Mhepo for the crash by saying he had been behind the wheel. A judge described the lie as 'cowardly and cruel'.
Mr Mhepo's family were in court to see McDonagh face justice for the death of their 'kind' and 'generous' son. "As a family we feel robbed of the future with our son," his father Chrispen Mhepo said, in a statement read by prosecutors. "Our hearts will forever be broken."
He claimed McDonagh had not shown remorse for his crimes, as they had not received an apology. Addressing him, Mr Mhepo said: "It is clear from this you don't care what you have done.
"He died because of your actions, your decisions. You had the opportunity to stop when the police requested, but you chose to drive in such a dangerous manner and take our only son away from us."
Defending McDonagh, David James said the defendant is remorseful, but finds if 'difficult to express himself' due to his immaturity and mental health difficulties. He said McDonagh should be 'ashamed' of trying to blame Mr Mhepo, who Mr James said had been a 'close, long term friend', but that he has 'fully retracted' his comments'.
Defending Doran, Huw Edwards said he still maintains his innocence. Sentencing, Judge Matthew Corbett-Jones said: "Because of your actions, Alan McDonagh, they (Mr Mhepo's family) must live their lives without that special person they all cherished.
Speaking of Mr Goostrey, the judge added: "He too had his life cruelly taken from him when he was just 50-years-old."
McDonagh pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by dangerous driving while disqualified, causing death by dangerous driving while uninsured and causing death by dangerous driving while uninsured, and aggravated vehicle taking.
He was also banned from driving for seven-and-a-half years, and Doran was banned for five-and-a-half years.
After the hearing, Darren Smith, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “This is a truly tragic case, involving two men losing their lives through no fault of their own. Being on bail for an incident involving the death of one man did not make McDonagh stop and think; he drove in a an extremely dangerous manner resulting in further tragic consequences, this time involving his friend.
"As both men begin their prison sentences for these offences, I am aware that they can never reflect the devastating impact on the family and friends of Jason Goostrey and Simbarashe Prosper Mhepo. My thoughts are with them at this time."
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