Leanne Vaughan, mother of 17-year-old Lily-May Vaughan who died in a crash due to her boyfriend Logan Addison's dangerous driving, speaks outside Shrewsbury Crown Court after his sentencing.
00:00So Lily May was my precious beautiful daughter. She was killed due to the unforgivable actions of Mr Logan Addison.
00:08I would like to sincerely thank West Mercy of Police for their efforts in thoroughly investigating the collision in which my daughter was killed.
00:18The CPS for ensuring Logan Addison was tried for causing death by dangerous driving.
00:23The jury for finding Logan Addison guilty and the judge for passing his sentence today.
00:30Which will never be enough, but falls within current guidelines.
00:35I would also like to thank Road Peace, the national charity for road crash victims, in the wake of such tragedy.
00:43Road Peace has been a lifeline for me.
00:46This incredible charity supports bereaved families like mine, offering peer connections, emotional support and practical tools to navigate the overwhelming grief that follows a road death.
00:58Finally, I want to thank my family, friends and local community who have surrounded me with love and kindness, stood by me throughout and never left my side.
01:11They are one of the reasons I have the strength to stand before you today and give this statement.
01:17It was vital that a strong message was sent today.
01:24If you kill a 17-year-old girl who had a whole life ahead of her and show absolutely no remorse, you will be punished.
01:34However, what was sent was a difficult message, that in this country we allow immature 17-year-olds the great responsibility of driving a vehicle.
01:47This makes no sense, the government must look at our licensing laws.
01:54No words can ever truly express the pain I feel.
01:59Mr. Addison's actions have deeply affected my life.
02:02He has quite simply destroyed it.
02:04It is not the natural order for a mother to bury her child, especially not at 17.
02:13I would not wish this agony on anyone.
02:16The loss of Lily May is a life sentence for me, and this grief will remain with me until the day I die.
02:23No sentence can ever reflect the worth of my daughter's life.
02:29Everyone who knew Lily May is devastated by her senseless, tragic death.
02:36The world has lost a kind, compassionate soul, someone who brightened every day, who had so much to give and so much still to offer.
02:47Our criminal justice system has been a brutal experience.
02:53Lily May was killed on Saturday, the 4th of February, 2023.
02:59It is now Friday, the 20th of June, 2025, over two years later, that Mr. Addison is finally serving a custodial sentence.
03:11My life ended the day Lily May died, yet Logan Addison was free to carry on with his, and appallingly, even went on to re-offend.
03:21For more than two years, my voice has been silenced by the legal process.
03:27Lily May's killer showed no remorse, denied everything, and was allowed back behind the wheel, where he offended again.
03:35I must urge those in power to look at the need to temporarily suspend the licences of those who are involved in fatal crashes.
03:45It is not right that Addison could get back behind the wheel the day after he took my daughter's life.
03:51Since the day Lily May was born, she was the centre of my world.
04:03I doted on her.
04:05Being her mother brought me immeasurable happiness.
04:07I spent 17 years nurturing her, protecting her, trying to keep her safe, yet our current driving laws failed to protect her.
04:18That's why I'm now campaigning for urgent change, so no other family has to endure the devastation we have.
04:26I want to work with the government to ensure that their forthcoming road safety strategy reflects the research and saves lives.
04:36I truly believe that if there had been a law preventing newly qualified drivers from carrying young passengers for six months, Lily May would still be alive.
04:49Until that day, I didn't realise that one of the greatest risks to teenage girls is simply being a passenger in a young male driver's car.
04:59Like many parents, I feared knife crime or drugs, not road traffic collisions, but collisions remain the leading cause of death among young people.
05:11This is a forgotten epidemic.
05:13We must stop being complacent about the number of people all ages killed on our roads.
05:20We've become desensitised to road deaths.
05:23But, behind every statistic, is a family that has been shattered.
05:30I will not rest in my campaign, in memory of Lily May.
05:35She was vibrant, loving, full of life, and was traumatically and suddenly taken from the people who adore her.
05:45Of course, I am relieved Mr Addison is now behind bars, but no sentence could ever reflect the suffering caused.
05:52I hope my words help you understand the scale of devastation Lily May's death has caused.
06:00The ripple effect has touched so many people.
06:04Lily's family, including her precious younger brother, friends, classmates.
06:10We are the ones serving the life sentence.
06:12I urge the public to hear my story and understand this can happen to any family.
06:22The dangers on our road are real and they must not be ignored.
06:29On the outside I might seem composed, but inside I am heartbroken.
06:35The bond I shared with my daughter was unlike anything else.
06:40Losing her has changed me forever.
06:44I will stay strong in Lily May's name to honour the love we shared and to fight for change.
06:50No family should have to join this club of families bereaved through road death.
