Speeding Audi driver, 17, told worried friend ‘I know these lanes, mate’ before horror crash left him and two friends dead just a day after passing his test

Three teenage friends died in a horror crash after a ‘naïve, young and inexperienced’ driver lost control of his Audi the day after passing his test, an inquest heard today.

Jenson Bridges, 17, smashed into a tree while driving his Audi A1 hatchback at ‘excessive speed’ – seconds after reassuring one of his four passengers ‘I know these lanes, mate’.

Jenson, who was head boy at his school died alongside Taekwondo world champion Simon Evans, 18, and restaurant worker Jacob Holeman, 17.

The fourth occupant of the car, George Taylor, 17, suffered life-changing injuries but survived the smash on a lane at Tong, near Shifnal, Shropshire.

The inquest also heard that a 20-second Snapchat video was taken by Simon Evans just seconds before the crash, late on March 14.

In the video, the sound of Jenson Bridges wheel-spinning his car was heard as he took off along Offoxey Road.

Later in the video, a voice was heard to say ‘slow down’, followed by the reply ‘Simon, I know these lanes, mate’.

An inquest heard Jenson had passed his driving test just the day before the crash and the group met up with eight other friends to ‘go for a drive.’

After being asked to slow down, Jenson Bridges , 17, told one of his friends ‘I know these lanes mate’ seconds before the crash, the inquest heard

Jacob Holman, a 17-year-old trainee chef, was described as ‘an amazing son, grandson, brother and friend’ by his family

Former Taekwondo Simon Evans (pictured), 18, died of ‘multiple traumatic injuries’ after being thrown from the Audi

Friends said Jenson had turned off the traction control in his car, so he could ‘wheelspin’ away from the other two cars, a Vauxhall Corsa and VW Golf.

They told investigating officers they thought Jenson was exceeding the national speed limit of 60mph and travelling at around ’90-95mph’ as he sped off.

Heath Westerman, the Assistant Coroner for Shropshire, said Offoxey Road was described by forensic officers as in a ‘state of disrepair’ with numerous potholes and bumps.

Investigating officers said the speedometer was stuck at 37mph, but disregarded that and suggested the incident was ‘not a low speed’ crash.

The court was told that the car suffered ‘catastrophic’ damage, with the near side front wheel detaching from the vehicle and the front of the car deformed.

There were no witnesses to the crash, but investigators said they believed the driver had over-corrected after going over a dip in the road, causing the car to enter a spin and hit a hedgerow and then the tree.

Investigators said they could find no defects on the Audi and concluded a lack of driving experience and inappropriate speed were the cause.

Following the crash the two cars following the Audi stopped, and the eight occupants did what they could to offer life-saving help to their four friends.

The three dead were all wearing seatbelts, coroner Heath Westerman was told

But Jenson and Jacob both died in hospital on the following days from ‘non-survivable head injuries’.

Simon died instantly from ‘multiple traumatic injuries’ having been ejected from the car.

The three dead boys were all wearing their seatbelts, Shrewbury’s Guildhall was told.

Mr Westerman said Jenson’s Audi, a 1.4l hatchback with 123bhp, was MOT’d, taxed, had valid insurance and was found to have had ‘no mechanical defects’ at the time of the crash.

The driver was also clear of drugs and alcohol at the time of the incident.

In his findings, Mr Westerman concluded that all three boys died as a result of a road traffic collision.

He said: ‘On the evidence I have heard, I am satisfied Bridges was not racing another vehicle and had not met up with friends and acquaintances with an intention to race.

‘He was a newly qualified driver who was excited to be on the road but lacked the experience to know how a car handles with three passengers in it at speed over a bumpy road.

Flowers and cards left under a tree at the scene of the crash in memory of the three teenagers

‘I find that at a junction before the accident, he turned off the traction control.

‘While it is not possible to calculate how fast the car was travelling, I find he was driving at excessive speeds.

‘Having driven at excessive speeds down Offoxey Road with three passengers, he was unable to control the car as it negotiated a ditch.

‘ It then clipped the off-side grass verge, collided with hedgerow and then a tree.

‘The damage was devastating. I find the condition of the car did not contribute. I find the condition of the road did not contribute.’

He added: ‘The collision was caused by the naïve actions of a young, inexperienced and newly qualified driver.’

Following the tragedy, devastated family members paid tribute to all three boys.

Jacob, a trainee chef from Codsall, Staffordshire, was described as ‘funny, loving and caring’ while Simon, of Perton, also in Staffordshrie, was hailed a ‘loving and kind gentleman’ who ‘always had a smile on his face’.

The coroner said newly-qualified Jenson ‘lacked the experience to know how a car handles with three passengers in it at speed over a bumpy road’

His family said the part-time chef, who was studying vehicle mechanics at college, ‘had so many hobbies, he was a blue belt in Taekwondo and he even became world champion, before he moved onto his next hobby, of which there were many.’

Sports-mad Jenson, of Brewood, Staffordshire, had the ‘purest heart, who loved life and lived it to the full’, said his family.

The inquest comes three months after another speeding teenager who caused the deaths of three fellow sixth formers was ordered to be detained for 24 months.

Edward Spencer, 19, had only passed his test six weeks before the 64mph collision on a rural B-road and had a history of ‘showing off’ at the wheel, a court heard.

His Ford Fiesta span out of control after hitting a verge as he drove Matilda Seccombe, 16, Harry Purcell, a 17-year-old twin, and Frank Wormald, 16, home from school – killing all three near Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, in April 2023.

The car crossed the carriageway and hit an oncoming Fiat 500, leaving the driver and her two stepchildren with serious and enduring injuries, the court heard.

Following his sentencing at Warwick Crown Court, the bereaved families called for the introduction of ‘graduated’ driving licences – which could include a ban on new drivers carrying younger passengers or a late-night driving curfew for the first few months on the road – to help prevent further similar tragedies.

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