Man, 25, accused of causing friend's death by dangerous driving in North York Moors National Park crash still at large in Thailand four years on

The trial of a 25-year-old man accused of causing his friend’s death by dangerous driving is likely to go ahead in his absence after he fled the country.
Grace Newton
By Grace Newton
Published 3rd Jan 2024, 14:46 GMT
Updated 3rd Jan 2024, 14:46 GMT

Ewan Aaron Corbett was charged after Shane Finn, 21, died when the Audi A3 they were travelling in crashed on Knott Road near Rosedale Abbey in the North York Moors National Park in May 2020.

Mr Finn, a father-of-one from Middlesbrough, passed away from his injuries in hospital. Corbett was also charged with driving without a licence or insurance.

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However, Corbett later left the UK and his legal team and North Yorkshire Police believe him to be in Thailand.

Shane Finn died in a crash near Rosedale Abbey in the North York Moors National ParkShane Finn died in a crash near Rosedale Abbey in the North York Moors National Park
Shane Finn died in a crash near Rosedale Abbey in the North York Moors National Park

Photos posted by Corbett, also from Middlesbrough, on his public Facebook account reveal that he has visited Portugal and Switzerland in the past six months despite being a wanted man. Last October he was in Vietnam.

A hearing was held at York Crown Court on January 3 to update Judge Simon Hickey on progress in the case, almost a year after the court first heard Corbett was living overseas.

Crown Prosecution Service barrister Andrew Petterson KC said: “The police have information that he is in Thailand, but not a great deal has happened since the last hearing. In December the police were given information that he may be in Thailand.”

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Mr Petterson added that the officer in charge of the investigation has not yet returned to work after the Christmas break.

Rosedale AbbeyRosedale Abbey
Rosedale Abbey

Judge Hickey agreed that the case could be re-listed later this month for further updates, and said: “We need to ascertain what efforts there are to retrieve him and what efforts they intend to make to bring Mr Corbett to justice.”

Corbett’s defence counsel, Victoria Lamballe, was also present and all parties agreed with the Crown’s suggestion that a trial go ahead in Corbett’s absence if he is not extradited back to the UK. A warrant for his arrest was issued in early 2023.

He also faces a further allegation of dangerous driving in relation to an incident in November 2021, when he was still in the Teesside area, over a year after Mr Finn’s death. The cases will both be tried at York Crown Court.