"Beautiful" teenager Lily-May Vaughan killed by boyfriend in horror crash had “the world at her feet”

A teenager jailed for the crash which killed his girlfriend - while showing absolutely no remorse - was convicted of more driving offences three times after the tragic incident. Logan Addison caused the death of 17-year-old Lily-May Vaughan when he lost control of his Volkswagen Golf near Shawbury Heath, Shropshire, on February 4, 2023.

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told how witnesses that day said Addison, of Market Drayton, “revved, dumped the clutch and wheel-spun” away from the Shawbury town centre traffic lights onto a 1.2-mile road. Motorist, Harrison Cowley, told police Addison was “going like f**k”.

Soon after, Addison lost control, and the Golf careered through a hedge, fence and an electricity pole - which snapped in two, with the car ultimately left on its roof. Tragically, Lily-May was pronounced dead at the scene - on the A53 - at shortly after noon that day. And despite his reckless, fast driving, Addison - who was 17 at the time of the horror smash - was not wearing a seatbelt. Lily-May was.

Police collision investigator, PC Sarah Fraser-Smith, told the court it was “likely” Addison was travelling above the 60mph speed limit when he crashed - but could not give an accurate estimate of his speed. Despite the evidence, Addison maintained a story that he lost control of his vehicle when he swerved to avoid another car.

However, despite breaking his back in seven places and fracturing his neck in the crash that took his girlfriend’s life, Addison was caught by police performing doughnuts in a Tesco’s car park in Shrewsbury just seven weeks later. And after his sentencing at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday (June 20), it emerged the teen had been convicted for driving offences three times since causing Lily-May’s death.

Sentencing, Judge Deni Mathews, said: "Your driving has brought disruption, destruction and carnage to the family of a beautiful young woman. It is astonishing, utterly astonishing that weeks after this collision which caused the death of your girlfriend, you were driving carelessly and without insurance, performing donuts in a supermarket car park."

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Miss Vaughan's mother Leanne said Addison was a "danger to society", adding: "The fact he has the audacity to reoffend is unforgivable. The actions of Mr Addison have greatly affected my life. He has, quite simply, ruined it. It is against the natural order for a mother to lose her child at the age of 17. She was a healthy, happy young lady with a bright future ahead of her."

Robert Edwards, defending, asked the judge not to take Addison's lack of remorse as an "aggravating factor" due to his "immaturity" and "lack of emotional intelligence". As well as behind jailed for five years and six months, Addison was also banned from driving for eight years.

At a previous hearing, Lily-May’s mum, step-dad Andy and other family members spoke of “beautiful” Lily-May outside court. Leanne said: “She was killed on February 4, 2023. It has been two years of absolute hell. She was the light of our lives. She was such a beautiful daughter and meant the world to us. It’s wrong that a girl with the world at her feet can be just killed like that.

“Justice has been done today. I would like to thank the jury for their hard work. Today has shown me there is some good in the world. I think she was too good for this world. She always wanted to help people. She loved animals.

“Since she could talk she said she wanted a dog. In lockdown she got Sadie, who was her little shadow. She loved her family. There is a massive hole in our family.

“I want this to be a message: that driving is a privilege. Maybe it will make people stop and think. The youth need to be educated. We’ll keep campaigning for graduated driving licences.”

Chief Inspector Julian Smith, of West Mercia Police, said: “We are pleased with the sentence handed to Addison today, and hope it sends a strong message to anyone who thinks driving dangerously is acceptable. Throughout the investigation and trial Addison has shown no remorse for what he has done, and I hope this sentence will give him the time he needs to reflect on how his actions that day have turned people’s lives upside down.

“We know today will not bring Lily-May back but hope it can offer her family and friends some closure for what a truly horrific time it has been for them. As the trial has now concluded, we are able to reveal that Addison continued to put other road users at risk by driving dangerously.

“Following the collision in February 2023, Addison was charged with driving offences committed on three separate occasions, all while my officers were investigating the collision that sadly caused Lily-May’s death.”

After being caught driving dangerously at the Tesco’s car park, he was charged with driving without due care and attention and driving without insurance. Then on April 1, 2023, Addison was again caught by officers near Newport driving dangerously and was also found in possession of a knife. For this he was charged with using a motor vehicle in a dangerous condition, driving without insurance and possession of an offensive weapon.

On July 26, 2023, Addison was disqualified from driving and given six points on his licence. Less than a month after he was sentenced, he was caught driving whilst disqualified - on August 1, 2023 - April Fools Day. He was charged with driving while disqualified and having no insurance. He was given an eight-week sentence suspended for 12 months on August 22, 2023, at Telford Magistrates Court for that offence.