A father whose 15-year-old son killed a teenage girl in a squad bike crash has been jailed for 12 months, after a court ruled that he ignored warning signs that could have prevented the accident.

The Daily Mail reports that 19-year-old Corinne Brady died after Simon Herret, 42, and his son Josh, from Skegby, took it in turns to give her a ride on their powerful quad bikes. Ms Brady died when she was riding on Josh’s bike, which crashed into the stump of a tree in Sherwood Forest in Nottingham at around 40mph.

Ms Brady – an only child from Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottingham and described as ‘fun loving and adventurous’ – landed under the bike and died from multiple injuries.

Josh, now 16, had been given the quad bike for Christmas by his father. He sustained a broken leg in the crash.

The crash site is known as ‘The Desert’ and there are warning signs advising that it is illegal and dangerous to ride vehicles there.

The quad bikes also carry warning notices that read:

'Never carry a passenger as it can affect balance and steering and may cause you to lose control, resulting in severe injury or death.’

On Thursday (04/02/10) at Nottingham Crown Court, Josh Herret admitted causing Ms Brady’s death by dangerous driving. He was given a two-year supervision order by the court.

His father, Simon Herret, a builder, admitted aiding and abetting the offence. As well as being jailed, Mr Herret was given a two-year driving ban.

The court was told that Josh was not showing off at the time of the crash, but the speed he was travelling at was judged to be a factor in the accident.

Judge Michael Stokes QC said:

'The circumstances of Corinne's death are such that it should never have been allowed to occur.

'I am driven to conclude that you, Simon Herret, must bear principal responsibility for what happened.

'You are a fully grown, mature adult, whereas at the time your son was a 15-year-old schoolboy.

'It is quite clear you knew, or should have known, that using a quad bike on that track was inherently dangerous – and you knew perfectly well you should not have been doing it at all.’

After the hearing, head of roads policing in Nottinghamshire, Andy Charlton, said:

‘This case underlines the dangers of riding quad bikes in terrain totally unsuitable for such machines, and at speeds which are dangerous at best and can, as has tragically been shown, prove fatal.

'Our thoughts go out to family and friends of Corinne Brady. Her death has become a stark reminder that quad bikes are lethal weapons when misused.’

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