‘A twist of the knife’

Dec 14 2007 By Rebecca Edwards

Schoolfriends Dominic Arnold, left, and Tristan Cook, both Christleton High School pupils, who were tragically killed in a road accident on the A41 near Broxton just after midnight on Saturday, December 9th (100)

TWO teenagers have been cleared of blame for the deaths of Tristan Cook and Dominic Arnold.

Tristan’s father immediately attacked the verdict. He said: "This verdict is a twist of the knife."

Michael Wood, 18, of Woodlands Drive, Hoole, was cleared of causing their deaths by dangerous driving. A jury unanimously convicted him of driving carelessly before the A41 crash on December 10, 2006.

The two 16-year-olds were rear passengers in his VW Polo, that lost control near Dragonhall and hit a tree.

Wood pleaded guilty to a second charge of dangerous driving at other times that night, when a convoy of cars did hand brake turns on Sainsbury’s and Broxton car parks. He will be sentenced on February 1.

Matthew Ferguson, 18, of Little Heath Road, Christleton, was cleared of dangerous driving.

Tristan and Dominic’s family and friends – who sat through the trial – were left in tears by the verdict.

Tristan’s father Haydyn Cook and stepmother Dorothy said: "This for us was really about Tristan being dead and we all feel dreadful. That won’t ever go away.

"We are utterly appalled that Michael Wood has shown no remorse in court. These were supposedly his friends and he is not sorry."

Mr Cook added: "Tristan was my hero, I will always love him to bits. It is awful day after day and if I didn’t have a wife and a family, I would be going to join him."

Tristan’s mum Meriel said: "We are the ones with the life sentence."

The families of defendants Michael Wood and Matthew Ferguson and crash victim Dominic Arnold declined to comment.