Tameside teenager who took his mum's car and left a taxi passenger in a coma, walks free from court

A 16-year-old who took his mother's car driving at almost three times the speed limit before crashing into a taxi and leaving a passenger in a coma, has walked free from court.Michael Hanrahan took the keys to his mum's Mercedes A200 while she was asleep, in December 2020, reaching speeds of up to 80mph in a 30mph zone in Ashton-under-Lyne.

The teen later claimed he was being pursued by another car, which he feared contained men armed with machetes.

Hanrahan went through a red light at a junction and ploughed into a taxi, causing it to spin and hit some railings.The passenger, a man in his 20s, spent eight days in an induced coma after suffering a catalogue of injuries.

In the months following the crash, he could not carry out basic tasks including washing and dressing himself, and felt ‘embarrassed’ and ‘useless’, a court heard.Hanrahan, now 19, avoided jail after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Manchester Crown Court heard the crash happened on Oldham Road, near the junction with Newmarket Street and Wilshaw Lane, at about 11pm on Sunday, 13 December 2020.Hanrahan had taken his mother's car and was being pursued by another vehicle, he claimed.

Police later estimated that he had been travelling at between 65mph and 81mph in the lead up to the collision, prosecutor Justin Hayhoe said.

He went through a red light at the junction and crashed into a taxi, a Toyota Prius, which had been driving 'entirely appropriately'. The taxi spun and hit some railings.

The driver walked away with minor injuries but the back seat passenger was seriously hurt.

His catalogue of injuries included a bleed on the brain, fractures to his neck and pelvis and the collapsing of both lungs, and he was placed into an induced coma for eight days.His ordeal left him with memory and speech issues. He has been left with a permanent limp and still has trouble sleeping."He no longer recognises the man he has become," Mr Hayhoe said of the victim. "He feels his life has been turned upside down, through no fault of his own."Hanrahan walked away from the crash, and fled the scene. He handed himself in two days later after seeing posts on social media about the crash, the court heard.

Hanrahan told police he believed he was being pursued by the other car, and felt he had to drive in that way to escape.

Defending, Estelle Parkhouse said Hanrahan had been living in Liverpool at the time.She said Hanrahan was 'homesick' and wanted to visit an ill relative so decided to head back to his native Greater Manchester.

Hanrahan "deeply regrets" his behaviour and has not been in any further trouble since, she said."He does not wish to follow a life of crime, he in fact wants to better himself," Ms Parkhouse said.

Judge Sarah Johnston said under the law she had to sentence Hanrahan if he were a youth, because he was 16 at the time of the offence.She described him as a 'vulnerable young adult', and said his culpability was reduced because of his immaturity.

"There is no sentence that I could pass that could undo the harm that has been caused," the judge said.But Judge Johnston said she was satisfied that Hanrahan was remorseful and can rehabilitate himself.

He was sentenced to an 18-month community order, and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.Hanrahan, from Droylsden, Tameside, was also banned from driving for two years.

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