Speeding driver high on laughing gas who killed music student on bike in east London is jailed

A speeding driver who inhaled laughing gas before hitting and killing a music student on his bike in east London has been jailed for more than 10 years.

Tiffany Treanor-Johnson, 27, was speeding at 53mph in a 20mph zone in an Audi when she hit cyclist Harry Webb, mounted the pavement and crashed into another car in Hackney.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Treanor-Johnson drove off after the collision at the junction of Kenworthy Road and Hassett Road, leaving Mr Webb – who was a passionate drummer and musician – seriously injured on the side of the road.

Mr Webb, a 27-year-old student at the London College of Contemporary Music (LCCM), died days later in hospital. He has since been awarded his masters degree posthumously.

The court was told Treanor-Johnson, of Bramshaw Road, Hackney, had been inhaling class C drug nitrous oxide before the crash on the evening of September 10, 2023.

On Friday, Judge Rosa Dean sentenced Treanor-Johnson to 10 years and nine months in prison, and disqualified her from driving for 10 years.

She had initially denied one count of causing death by dangerous driving before changing her plea to guilty in April this year.

Treanor-Johnson appeared upset in the dock as the sentence was read out.

Harry Webb died in hospital two days after the collision

Webb family

The court heard Mr Webb – described as a “intelligent and wonderfully caring” man – had been speaking to his father on the phone at the time of the crash, which left him with a “traumatic” head injury.

Prosecutor Fiona Robertson said Mr Webb had moved into new accommodation to start his second year at LCCM earlier that day, and called his father “to thank him for his help”.

She told the court: “The call suddenly went silent as Harry was struck and fatally injured on Kenworthy Road.

“A member of the public discovered Mr Webb’s mobile phone on the ground after the collision and was able to relay to his father what had happened and told him to make his way back to London.”

In a victim impact statement, Mr Webb’s mother Pat said having him as a son was “the greatest honour”, adding he made “a positive impression to everyone”.

She told the court: “My life ended on September 10, 2023 after receiving a call from the surgeon.

“We had just moved him into his new accommodation that day.”

She added: “How can someone smash into him and drive away?

“Watching someone you love die is an image you’ll never forget.

“I cannot bear waking up without him every day. We have no future left, each day is painful.”

Mike and Pat Webb, the parents of Harry Webb, outside Snaresbrook Crown Court

PA

In a statement read by the prosecutor, Mr Webb’s father Mike said he felt “so helpless” being “miles away” when the collision happened.

He said: “The sound of the emergency sirens rushing to the scene will always haunt me.

“We both miss Harry constantly.”

Mr Webb’s friend George told the court: “Nothing could have prepared me for suddenly losing Harry.

“He was the most fun, caring, intelligent and wonderfully caring person you could ever meet.

“I will surely suffer from the loss of him for the rest of my life.”

Many friends of Mr Webb, along with family members, attended the hearing on Friday.

Treanor-Johnson wept in the dock as the statements were read.

Earlier in the hearing, the court was told Treanor-Johnson’s Audi subsequently hit a red Citroen.

Brenton Henry, who was driving the Citroen, said he “made eye contact” with Treanor-Johnson and “pulled forward to stop her” as she was continuing into Ballance Road, the court was told.

A painted memorial ‘ghost bike’ bicycle was placed near the spot where Harry Webb was hit

PA

Mr Henry then got out of his car, walked to Treanor-Johnson’s vehicle and took her car keys to prevent her from leaving.

The court heard one of the two girls travelling in the back of Treanor-Johnson’s car removed a bag from the vehicle as she got out and left the scene.

The police then arrived and found Mr Webb lying on the floor, and arrested Treanor-Johnson.

The hearing was told police found fragments of balloons used to inhale laughing gas in the defendant’s car.

Mitigating, Stephanie Panchkowry said: “Ms Treanor-Johnson was clearly in a state of shock at the time of what had happened.

“She has always put forward that she was not evading, deliberately, what had happened.”

The judge told Treanor-Johnson: “You are solely to blame for the collision.

“I am sure that you were probably impaired due to taking balloons.

“We must all hope that you truly are sorry.”

In a statement outside court after the hearing, Mr Webb’s father said: “Nobody should be killed cycling within a 20mph area in London, it is totally unacceptable.

“Harry has been devastatingly missed by Pat and myself, his family and the many friends that he had made in his far too short 27 years.”

He said: “The ripples caused by his death have been immense for so many people unable to come to terms with this senseless road crime.

“It should be thought of as a privilege not a right to drive a motor vehicle and if anyone abuses this privilege and through their own actions seriously injure or kill another person, they should face a lifetime driving ban.

“Road crime needs to be taken far more seriously in the UK and much more public information and enforcement is needed.”

Speaking to the Press Association about Treanor-Johnson’s sentence, Mr Webb’s mother said: “I’m glad she got what she got.

“I thought she was gonna get less than what she actually got.”

A so-called ghost bike, which is a painted bicycle placed as a memorial near a site where a cyclist has died, was installed at the junction where Mr Webb was hit, together with a picture of him.