A YOUNG motorist took “a calculated risk” to pull across the opposite carriageway to make a turn unaware a tanker was travelling in the opposite direction, a court heard.

In the resulting collision between Cameron Holdsworth’s Skoda Fabia and the heavy goods vehicle both he and his female passenger were badly injured, on Coniston Road, Blyth, Northumberland, on Tuesday October 1, 2019, at 8.20pm.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard passenger, 21-year-old Hannah Jane Inman's injuries proved fatal and she was declared dead at hospital.

Twenty-three-year-old Holdsworth, of Beechwood Road, Fishburn, County Durham, admitted causing death by dangerous driving during a hearing at the court, in February.

He was told to expect to receive a significant prison sentence pending preparation of background reports.

On his return to court for the scheduled sentencing hearing today, Judge Christopher Prince apologised to member's of both the defendant's and Ms Inman's families present for further delaying the outcome of the case.

But he said he wanted the police to investigate if Holdsworth was engaging in organised drag-type racing and the prevalence of it, both in the region and nationally.

He said he based his query on footage recovered by the police from the defendant’s own phone inferring he was a member of a group called ‘Total Chaos’ and had previously engaged in high-speed daring driving to “show off” to others.

Judge Prince referred to footage filmed, apparently by Holdsworth, as he previously pursued a Porsche vehicle at speeds of 97 or 98-miles per hour on a rural road, possibly in the Lake District.

The judge said from reading evidence in the case it appears that Holdsworth’s car was one of up to ten vehicles that set off from a sea-front car park at Whitley Bay to travel to an industrial estate in Blyth, potentially to stage a drag-type race, on the night of the fatal collision.

“It has the appearance of a group of people setting out to either engage in drag racing their cars, or to set out behaving as they did.

“I suspect a culture has grown up of street racing and street racing clubs and engaging in such behaviour.

“If it is the case this court ought to send out a message and a clear warning.”

Asked by Judge Prince, prosecuting counsel Alec Burns said collision investigators estimated Holdsworth was driving at 56-miles per hour when he braked while attempting to turn across the oncoming carriageway.

Judge Prince said it may take some time for the police to conclude its research and, in the meantime, he remanded Holdsworth, who has previously been on bail, into custody, pending the rearranged sentencing hearing, at some stage in the future.

The case will be mentioned again at the court in a fortnight.