Son of Scarborough Tory leader jailed for killing friend while 130 times over drug-drive limit

Christopher Backhouse, 26, crashed his Renault Clio on the way home from a music festival when he left the road and overturned into a ditch, killing his friend and passenger, Alexander Baron.

Backhouse, of High Street, Burniston, Scarborough, was found to have a toxic and potentially fatal level of the drug ecstasy in his system, which gave a reading 130 times the drug driving limit.

York Crown Court heard the friends had spent the weekend at a music festival in Wiltshire where Backhouse took a large volume of ketamin, cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy tablets.

He then agreed to drive the 270 miles home to Scarborough with 22 year-old Mr Baron and other friends as his passengers.

Backhouse, whose stepfather Andrew Backhouse is leader of the Conservative Group on Scarborough Council and a former mayor of the borough, was said to have given the highest drugs reading seen by North Yorkshire Police. He admitted causing the death of one Mr Baron by driving whilst unfit through drugs.

Last September, he had been spared jail for drug dealing after a plea by his father to the judge.

The court heard then that he was then tempted into the sordid world of drug dealing while his father was still Mayor.

After the latest case, traffic constable Zoe Billings, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “The amount of drugs found in Backhouse’s system was simply staggering – the highest reading our force has ever seen. How he thought he was fit to drive is just beyond comprehension.

“To then agree to take passengers and put their lives at risk was just plain irresponsible and sadly had very tragic consequences.”

She added: “Backhouse had a duty of care as the driver of the car to get his passengers to their destination safely and securely.

“He was well aware of the concoction of drugs he had taken over the weekend. By agreeing to drive and be in control of the car, Backhouse gave no consideration to the safety of his friends and passengers and put their lives at risk. The gamble he made very sadly resulted in the death of a young man.”

Mr Baron’s family released a statement voicing their “infuriation” with Backhouse.

They said: “To learn that the driver of the car had been found with a very high level of an illegal substance in his system was difficult to comprehend, the thought of someone being so irresponsible and the fact that this accident could have been so easily prevented, infuriates us.

“We understand that this was a group of friends returning home from a weekend away together and we take some comfort from the fact that the driver has acknowledged responsibility for our son’s death, but knowing that the driver continued to misuse drugs after this accident clearly shows his lack of empathy.”

The family’s statement added: “Alex was the youngest of our three sons, he was enjoying life to the full having only recently returned from Australia a few weeks before his untimely death.

“Alex was very popular, he had many friends and had grown up to be a thoughtful and helpful young man and this was evident by his charity work.

“Alex will not be forgotten by any of his friends and family who loved and cared for him so very much, his passing has left a huge void in so many lives that can never be filled, we would like everyone that knew Alex to remember him for his fun loving nature and recall him with fond memories.”

Glen Parsons, defending Backhouse - who the court heard is now an apprentice monk - said: “The reading of 130 times over the limit does not properly reflect this case but I have to concede it was a significant amount - but not straight before driving.”

Mr Parsons added: “Mr Backhouse had undertaken 600-700 hours of community expeditions - and has been deeply, deeply moved by this incident.

“I think the best tribute he could pay to Alex would be to turn his life around.”

Sentencing Backhouse to a two year immediate jail term, Judge Colin Burn said: “I know no sentence will bring Mr Baron back, and of course yourself Mr Backhouse has been affected of what happened, but I need to do the duty of the court.

“The guidelines have not been dictated to me by the family - but is passed of the public interest.”

At last year’s hearing, Backhouse, whose mother Susan is also a former Scarborough councillor, was given a nine month suspended sentence for dealing in ketamin and cocaine, and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

His father told the judge at that hearing: “Unfortunately, he got on legal highs and changed the job he’d had for years. He became a bit of a nomad. He would leave home and come back two or three days later.

“He was just not there. He became aggressive and did not speak about things.

“He was in a deep hole. More recently, we have seen him come out of that. This has been a massive wake up call.”