rememberingfergy

Letter to Pontefract & Castleford Express from Carl's Mother Dawn.

Printed on Thursday 27th July 2006

ON March 18 this year my only child Carl, aged 18, was killed in a car accident near Heath Common at Wakefield.

The tree that the car hit has become a place for me where I feel closest to Carl the most and over the past 14 weeks friends and family have visited the crash scene with floral tributes etc.

As Carl was a huge Leeds United fan someone (I don't know who) had securely nailed a Leeds shirt on a branch of the tree under a photograph of my beautiful son. This shirt had been there for weeks and had never moved through the wind and rain we have recently had.
I visited the crash scene on Saturday June 17 to be with Carl and take more flowers. Imagine my shock when the shirt was no longer there. This shirt was nailed to a sturdy branch and no way had it come free and blown away.
Anybody who has passed the crash scene would know instantly that somebody had died there and I can't understand who somebody would want to steal something that has been left in memory of Carl. The person(s) who have stolen this ought to be ashamed of themselves – if it was out of malice the photograph would have been taken too.
This person does not realise how much distress has been caused. It would have been Carl's birthday on June 23, and as a huge sports fan, I wanted to take some England flags etc, as I still believe that part of Carl will always be under that tree.
Since this has happened I do not feel able to place anything other than flowers at the scene and this really saddens me. Anybody who has lost a child will know how I feel.

To the person who placed the shirt at the scene, I say a huge thank you. Carl would have been so made up, and I am truly sorry that it has been stolen.

To the person(s) who have taken the shirt, well words fail me. If you had wanted a Leeds shirt that much you should have gone out and bought one, simple as that instead of taking something that didn't belong to you and that had been left in memory of my late son.

You must be the lowest of the low to steal from a dead person and I am totally disgusted.

DAWN FERGUSON
Stumpcross Close
Pontefract

The Crash Scene on Black Road near Heath Common, Wakefield where 18 year old Carl Ferguson tragically died in a Horific Car Crash.

Follow on Article by Mark Lavery - which appeared in the Yorkshire Evening Post on Monday 31st July 2006

"Mum's despair after theft from 'shrine'! "

Leeds Utd shirt stolen from scene of tragedy -

A GRIEVING mum has blasted the "lowest of the low" thieves who stole a Leeds United shirt from a shrine to her only son.
A mystery wellwisher nailed the shirt to the tree on a Wakefield road where 18-year-old Whites fan Carl Ferguson died in a horror car smash in March. His mother Dawn, of Pontefract, regularly places fresh flowers at the scene which became a focal point for friends and family to grieve for the former Knottingley High School pupil. Dawn, 40, was horified to discover that someone had stolen the shirt - a loving tribute to the sport loving youngster who was pursuing a career in the Army.
"Carl was a huge Leeds United fan - whoever has taken the shirt must be the lowest of the low, I'm totally disgusted," she said.

BRANCH
"The shirt was nailed to a sturdy branch and there's no way it could have blown away"
"Anybody who passed the crash scene would have known instantly that somebody had died there and I can't understand why somebody would want to steal something that had been left in memory of Carl."
"They ought to be ashamed of themselves"
"This person(s) doesn't realise how much distress has been caused - since it's happened, I don't feel able to place anything other than flowers at the scene, and this really saddens me - Anybody who has lost a child will know how I feel"

Carl was a back seat passenger in a Peugeot 206 that failed to negotiate the left hand bend from the A638 Doncaster Road into Black Road on Saturday 18th March 2006.
The car hit a tree causing fatal injuries to Carl, who lived with his father John on Great North Road, Knottingley.

The 21-year-old Driver of the Peugeot arrested in connection with the incident is due to answer His Police Bail next month.
Carl's Uncle - Dave Malcolm of Northern Ireland has set up a website in his memory at www.rememberfergy.piczo.com
mark.lavery@ypn.co.uk

(NOTE* The website address was incorrect, but a few days later a small piece appeared with the correct address for rememberingfergy - My personal thanks to Mark for this, Dave Malcolm)

Picture by Mel Hulme - Carl's Mother Dawn Ferguson pictured at the tragic scene where her only child died in a horific Car crash on Black Road just outside Wakefield in the UK

Article by Joanna Wardill which appeared in the Pontefract & Castleford Express on Thursday 14th September 2006 Page 3

'Chance to Pay Website Tribute'

A Grieving mum has invited friends and family members to add their memories to a website dedicated to her dead Son.

Dawn Ferguson and her Brother Dave Malcolm set up the website www.rememberingfergy.piczo.com about 6 weeks ago in memory of her son Carl Ferguson of Great North Road Knottingley, who died in a car accident in March.

Since it launched, she has pasted photo's of the former Knottingley High School pupil growing up, as well as writing about his life, but on Monday, a new section was added for people to leave any memories they have od him.

She said "He was 18 when he died and that was far too young. We don't want him to be forgotten, and thats how the website came about".

"The new section is hopefully where people who knew him will leave messages with their memories of him. I think some people might feel like they are intruding, but they are not.
They might remember things that i don't know about, maybe school memories. That would be really nice. It might help people to come to terms with whats happened. Life is a strain - when you lose your only child, your life just feels over. Its so hard to get up every morning, but you have to do it.

On Monday it was six months since he died, and i still don't feel that its real. He was such a happy person, who loved and enjoyed life. He was in the Army after school, but came out because he felt he was too young to make the commitment. He made such a mature decision and he said he wanted to live life a bit before definitely going back in a year or two, and then 6 months later - he was dead!

He will never ever be forgotten, and I don't want him to be"

Pictured: Dawn Ferguson and her late son Carl, celebrating his 18th Birthday, in June Last Year.

Article in Pontefract & Castleford Express
11th January 2007 (Page 5)

DEATH DRIVING CHARGE

A Pontefract man accused of causing a teenager's death by careless driving while over the drink drive limit appeared in court this week.

Jamie Crozier 22 is alleged to have caused the death of 18 year old Carl Ferguson, of Great North Road, Knottingley, on Doncaster Road, Wakefield on 18th March 2006.

He spoke only to confirm his name, age and address of Eastbourne Terrace, Chequerfield, when he appeared before Wakefield magistrates Court on Monday.

Chairman of the bench John Fudworth said the case would have to be sent to Leeds Crown Court because of the seriousness of the allegation.

Crozier was granted unconditional bail to appear there on Monday January 15th.

The Crash scene on Black Road where Carl was killed on 18th March 2006

Pontefract & Castleford Express - Front Page - 1st Feb 07

DEATH DRIVER STILL AT WHEEL!

A GRIEVING mum of a teenage car crash victim has slammed the law for allowing drink-drivers back behind the wheel.

Dawn Ferguson said it's "unbelievable" that drivers who test positive for alcohol after an accident can return to the roads until they are sentenced by a judge or magistrates.
Her son, Carl, 18, was killed when he was a rear passenger in a car which smashed into a tree at Heath Common, Wakefield, on March 18 last year.
The driver, 22-year-old Jamie Crozier, of Eastbourne Terrace, Pontefract, has pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit and is due to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on February 20 – but Ms Ferguson is angry that he has been allowed to continue driving since the accident.
She now plans to launch a campaign – with the help of her brother in Northern Ireland, Dave Malcolm – to change the law.
Ms Ferguson, of Stumpcross Close, Pontefract, told the Express: "I think it's unbelievable that he's still allowed to drive.
"If you do something wrong at work, you get suspended until it's been sorted out.
"They say innocent until proven guilty but they tested him and he was over the limit.
"He pleaded guilty at court a few weeks ago, but to me it should have started after the accident, when he provided a positive breath test. I just don't understand it. It's so wrong and I feel the law should be changed.
"The accident happened ten months ago and he has been driving all that time. It's ridiculous.
"Once we get this campaign up and running, we are never going to stop. We feel that if a death or accident has occurred and the driver is found to be over the drink-drive limit, they should have their licence suspended with immediate effect.
"Until it happens to you, you don't think about it. But obviously it has happened to me and I'm sat thinking that my life sentence has already started and he can still drive.
"Carl was my only child, I won't see him marry and settle down with a family of his own. Everything that people take for granted has been taken away from him, and me.
"I have gone through these last ten months knowing that I can't see Carl again, I can't celebrate special occasions with him and he can't have a part of him carrying on for generations to come.
"My son was far too good to be wiped off this earth for me to sit back and do nothing. I refuse to do that."
The law as it stands allows an interim disqualification, after a conviction or a guilty plea, to be issued by judges or magistrates, at their discretion.
Sgt Duncan Street, of Wakefield road traffic, said: "From my experience, I have never dealt with a fatal collision where that person, in the time before the sentence, has gone on to do the same again.
"At the end of the day, my job is to make the roads a safer place and I will support anything which helps this. I have spoken to our senior lawyer to see if there is an opportunity we can do this. If someone has pleaded guilty, or been convicted, then maybe the prosecution should be able to say: 'Can we consider an interim disqulification before sentencing?'. If they are going to be disqualified anyway, why not start the ban earlier.
"If Ms Ferguson would like to talk about this, she can ring me at any time."

Article by Jo Rostron which appeared in the Yorkshire Evening Post on Wednesday 21st Feb 2007

DRUNKEN DRIVER WHO KILLED FRIEND IS JAILED

A CARE worker who caused the death of a friend in a drink-drive road smash has been jailed for four years.
Jamie Crozier, 22, was twice the legal alcohol limit when his car crashed into a tree at Heath Common, Wakefield, killing 18-year-old rear passenger Carl Ferguson.
Leeds Crown Court heard Crozier completed a year's driving ban for a previous drink-driving offence just three months before the tragedy in March last year.
Carl's mother, Dawn, is launching a campaign to change the law which currently allows drink-drivers back behind the wheel after an accident.
Crozier, of Eastbourne Terrace, Pontefract, was jailed after he admitted causing death by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit. He was also banned from driving for five years.
Tearful families of both the victim and Crozier packed the courtroom yesterday to hear his fate.
Sentencing Crozier, Judge James Stewart QC said: "By your own stupidity, you snuffed out the life of a young man who had a wonderful future and a loving family."
The court heard Crozier had downed up to four pints and five bottles of lager before getting behind the wheel, with his brother, Nile, as front passenger.
They were heading out of Pontefract towards Wakefield, when they saw Carl and another friend in the street and offered them a lift.
The four drove into Wakefield before heading back to Pontefract when the accident happened at 5.30am, the court heard.
Crozier lost control at the junction of Doncaster Road and Black Road. His car spun around and hit a tree. An expert estimated Crozier was travelling at over 50mph in the 40mph zone.
Carl, who lived with his father John, on Great North Road, Knottingley, died hours later of head injuries.
The former Knottingley High School pupil was known as a keen Leeds United fan.
In mitigation, Neil Clark said Crozier had been distressed, anxious and having nightmares since the accident. He had worked as a volunteer before finding employment as a carer working with young people with learning difficulties.
The judge told Crozier: "You have excellent references. You work in the public service looking after those more disadvantaged than yourself, but those who drink and drive carelessly causing death commit a very grave crime."
After the case Dawn Ferguson, 40, of Stumpcross Close, Pontefract, said she was pleased with the sentence but vowed to fight for a change in the law.
"It's closure and it's the opening of a campaign. Drink drivers can carry on driving until they get to court. This has gone on for 11 months," she said.
She wants to change the current law that allows drivers who test positive for alcohol after an accident to return to the roads until they are sentenced by a judge or magistrates.
To support the campaign log onto www.rememberingfergy.piczo.com and sign the online petition.
jo.rostron@ypn.co.uk

22 yr old Jamie Crozier Jailed on 20/2/07 for Carl's death
Picture (c) YPN

Report by Joanna Wardill which appeared in the Pontefract and Castleford Express - 22nd February 2007 (Front Page)

JUSTICE AT LAST!

DEVASTATED mum Dawn Ferguson says she can now begin to grieve after the drink-driver who killed her teenage son was jailed.

Jamie Crozier, aged 22, of Eastbourne Terrace, Pontefract, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday to four years in prison and banned from driving for five years after admitting causing the death of 18-year-old Carl Ferguson by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit.
The court heard Crozier had only just completed an 12-month ban for a previous charge of drink-driving when the fatal smash occurred at 5.30am on March 18 at Heath Common in Wakefield last year.
John Davison, prosecuting, told the court Crozier's brother, Niall, was also arrested for attempting to pervert the course of justice for supporting Crozier's story that he had had to swerve because of another car – something an eyewitness and a fourth passenger in the car said was untrue.
But this matter was not pursued by the police.
Ms Ferguson, of Stumpcross Close, Pontefract, launched a campaign earlier this month, as reported in the Express, to ban drink-drivers immediately after an accident.
Speaking after Tuesday's hearing, she said: "I think it's terrible that Crozier had been banned for drink-driving before and hadn't learned his lesson. Just three months after his first ban ended, he killed my son by doing it again.
"But I am more than happy with his sentence. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted now. This has been going on for 11 months and I haven't really started grieving yet – everything has been up in the air and I've been too stressed.
"We also have a campaign to get on with now. Police should have the power to take away a drink-driver's licence immediately and not have to wait until they are in front of a court. Crozier was driving for ten months after he killed Carl before he was banned and to me that's wrong."
The court heard Crozier had drunk four pints and five bottles of lager and was driving to Wakefield with his brother when they offered a lift to Carl and his friend who were walking home.
The group looked for nightlife in Wakefield but finding there was none, set off on their way back to Pontefract.
Mr Davison said Crozier was driving in excess of 50mph, in a 40mph zone, when he lost control on a left-hand bend and smashed side-on into a tree.
Rear passenger Carl never regained consciousness and died two hours later in hospital of head injuries.
Crozier gave a positive alcohol breath test to attending officers and was arrested at the scene.
Mr Davison added: "It appears he didn't understand how serious the matter was because he replied (to officers]: 'Shows how f****** caring I am – what have I done?'"
Neil Clark, mitigating, said Crozier had suffered from anxiety, distress and nightmares since the accident and was a caring person who had worked as a volunteer before finding full-time employment looking after people with learning difficulties.
Sentencing Crozier, Judge James Stewart QC said: "It is true you stayed at the scene to wait for the police but then you set to excuse your behaviour saying that you swerved to avoid a car. This was a plain indication to me you were thinking about yourself and not the unfortunate Carl Ferguson who was lying unconscious in hospital to die two hours later.
"Your breath level shows you were at the time driving almost twice the limit. You have a previous conviction for exactly that offence.
"It is a tragedy that you didn't learn from that mistake.By your stupidity you snuffed out the life of that young man who had a wonderful future ahead of him and a loving family."
To support Dawn Ferguson's campaign – which has now been backed by two national charities: Campaign Against Drink and Driving (CADD) and Support And Care After Road Death (SCARD) – sign the petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Campaign4Carl or log on to www.rememberingfergy.piczo.com

The tree on Black Road where Jamie Crozier smashed his car into on the morning of 18th march 07

22 year old Jamie Crozier pictured leaving Leeds Crown Court on 2nd of february 07 after being suspended from driving. On the 20th of Feb 07 he was sentenced to 4 Years in prison for causing Carls death.

STATEMENT FROM DAWN FERGUSON - CARL'S MOTHER
21ST FEBRUARY 2007

Yesterday, Tuesday 20th feb 07 was a very stressful day, but i need to thank all the people who were there to support me and help me through the day, and also the people who couldnt be with me but texted and phoned to let me know that they were with me. As already has been published on this site Jamie Crozier was yesterday sentenced to 4 years in prison for causing the death of my beautiful son. people say that this is not long enough, but i am satisfied that justice has been done. No amount of time could bring carl back, and now we have a closure on this and we are all now able to move on. As for jamie - well words fail me. Not once has he said sorry for what he has done, so in my eyes (and this could be debateable by members of the crozier family) he has no remorse at all for what has happend. The defence said that he has had nightmares since the accident, and im sure if he had of wanted to say sorry he would have done so through his solicitor/barrister. My feelings for Jamie crozier are non existant. If he does care about what he has done then he will carry his guilt around with him for the rest of his life. What is so very upsetting is that had crozier learnt his lesson the first time he got banned for drink driving, then my son would probably still be here today. It has been stated in court and in the press that jamie lost his licence on 6th dec 04 where he was given a 12 month ban, and then 3 months and 12 days later he did it again but this time with much more severe consequences. This time my son was killed. A member of the crozier family has e mailed my brother and asked the question "is is correct to say that carl was fostered?" How cruel can somebody be i ask you? To put the record straight carl was never fostered, and this insinuation has caused me a lot of distress which i feel was very inappropriate especially 10 days before sentencing. Everybody that knew carl knows that he was loved so very much by myself and carls dad and both sets of family. Carl was not perfect not by a long shot, but he knew right from wrong and im sure my ex husband would agree that we were all very proud of carl. After the events of yesterday this is a closure for me and i now feel able to start to grieve and move on with my life. Carl will be with me always, and his memory will last with a lot of people for alot of years to come. It has been a very stressful 11 months and 3 days, and i would not of been able to go on the way i have without the help of certain people, and i wish to thank a few people today. Firstly Ian (my partner) you have been absalutley fantastic you have helped me so very much you will never know. To my dad and chris, you have both been there for me day and night even tho u have both had illnesses to deal with. I cant thank you enough. My brother david and my sis in law val. They have worked so hard to set this website up and it has got to of been hard just to print facts as they come in especially knowing what we knew and had to keep quiet until it came into the public domain. my sis paula has been a huge help and travelled overnight from bournmouth to be with me on tuesday even though she is very ill at the mo. My nephew david, who has taken this so hard is also is an only child and considered carl more of a bro than a cousin. U have helped me alot thank you. To all my mates u all know who you are you are the best mates anybody could ever want and in your own indavidual way you have all been fab. Carls mates you have kept me sane telling me little snippits of what carl used to get up to, thanks for stayin in touch. To pc's john spence and jez hepworth. I really cant thank you both enough, you have been honest with me throughout these months and i am so very glad that you both attended court to watch jamie get his sentence, and justice to be done. Thanks lads. To the two jo's (pontefract and castleford express and yorkshire evening post) you have reported the truth and helped promote this website thanks ever so much. Last but not least to every single person who has viewed this website, and more so to all the people who have posted comments on the site it has so helped me and i will be eternally grateful. We the family are now on a mission. At the moment the police or cps can apply to a magistrate to have a temporary disqualification given to any drink driver only once a conviction has been obtained. This is wrong! the police should have the power to issue this when a positive breath test is confirmed, to keep these people off the road until such time that they appear in court. We need to keep these people off the roads, it can also act as a deterrent. we should have zero tolerence for drink drivers regardless if they are pulled at the road side or involved in an accident or fatal accident, and this is why we have the online petition. I strongly urge you all to sign it please. Over coming weeks this campaign will be fully up and running and i hope that it gets to a national level where petitions will be in view for the citizens of this country to sign and then they can be passed on to tony blair and the transport secretary 4 debate & action. nothing will bring carl back, but this could possibly save the lives of many people. For arguments sake, wot if a drink driver caused an accident and was allowed to carry on driving till he/she went to court which could be months away and they continued to drive and drink and caused another accident? how bad is that? this didnt happen in my case but wot if it did? I would never be able to forgive myself knowing that this person was still on the road, but at the end of the day it is the government fault. I would never wish anybody to go through wot i have been through, but its happening as i type this now. Another life lost way too soon. Please sign our petition and print off your own and lets show people that we are caring and we need to make a change. Thank you so much. kind regards and many thanks to everybody who has helped me to get through this very very sad time. One last thank you and that has to be to my son carl. Thank you so much for coming into my life and for making me so proud of you. your heart of gold and the way you made me last will be with me till my dying day. till we meet again love u so much always and forever. mumxxxxx

LORD LENDS SUPPORT TO CAMPAIGN4CARL - Pontefract & Castleford Express
(Published 14th June 2007)

Article by Joanna Wardill

VETERAN politician Lord Lofthouse has pledged his support to a grieving
family's campaign to change the law on drink-driving.
As previously reported in the Express, mum Dawn Ferguson, of
Stumpcross Close, Pontefract, set up Campaign 4 Carl - with the help of her
brother Dave Macolm - to ban drink drivers from the roads as soon as they give a positive breath test, and not wait for their appearance in court.
Dawn's son Carl, 18, was killed by drink-driver Jamie Crozier, 22, of
Eastbourne Terrace, Pontefract, in March 2006, who was jailed for four
years in Feburary this year.
The campaign was launched after Crozier was allowed to continue
driving for 11 months after the accident - which the Ferguson family say is
wrong.
Lord Lofthouse this week said he has written to Home Secretary John
Reid and the Secretary of State for the Department of Transport Stephen
Ladyman with the family's concerns.
Lord Lofhouse said: "I am very sympathetic to their views of Mrs
Ferguson and Mr Malcolm. "I have written to the government and will make further efforts to bring this to the public attention.
"When young people lose their lives it's appalling and the people
responsible should have to pay the penalty."
Mr Ladyman said a report published in February commits his department
to consult on further measures against drink drivers and a discussion of
these is planned for November.
He said this would provide an opportunity to consider the suggestions
of Campaign 4 Carl.
Dawn Ferguson said: "I think it's brilliant that Lord Lofthouse has
acknowledged the fact that there's a problem and he is doing what he
can to help, so we thank him for that."
She also urged people to sign the online petition to the Prime Minister
before its deadline of August 6.
She said: "This is a subject which affects many people. Most people
know someone who has been affected by drink driving."
Her brother, Mr Malcolm, said: "I find it insulting to all drink drive
victims and their families that the government choose to drag its
heels and deny a problem exsists. Families find themselves in the same
position we were in - knowing that the person responsible for their
child's death is still driving on the roads - and that is a hard pill
to swallow."
To sign the petition visit http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Campaign4Carl

Piczo