A motorist has appeared in court charged with causing the death of a north Cumbria schoolgirl by dangerous driving — and “deliberately discarding an SD card” containing dash cam footage.
At Carlisle’s Magistrates’ Court today, Tony Packenham (47), Station Hill, Wigton, appeared to face four charges relating to a collision which happened south of Carlisle on the afternoon of 18th February, 2019, close to the Crown Inn, between Stoneraise and Ivegill.
The charges included one of causing the death of Caldew School student Ingrid Messenger by driving a Land Rover Defender dangerously on the day of the collision; and two charges of causing serious injury to her mother, Catriona, and sister, Erikka, by the dangerous driving of that vehicle.
In addition, Packenham faces a fourth charge of committing an act with intent to pervert the course of public justice.
His lawyer indicated that guilty pleas would be entered by Packenham to all four charges. No details about the crash were outlined and the case was committed to the crown court.
