Father jailed for 10 years for manslaughter of son hit by car while crossing M62

Callum Rycroft, 12, was hit by a car as he attempted to run across the M62 with his father Matthew in August.

Callum Rycroft died after being hit by a car on the M62 near Huddersfield (West Yorkshire Police/PA) (PA Media)

A father whose autistic son was killed as they both tried to flee the scene of a motorway crash on foot has “torn the family apart” with his “selfishness”, the boy’s heartbroken mother has said.

Callum Rycroft, 12, was hit by a car as he attempted to run across the M62 with his father Matthew Rycroft, described as “the person he trusted the most”.

Leeds Crown Court heard Rycroft, 37, was driving drunk on the motorway on August 5 when he collided with a barrier and then overturned his Audi Q5 on the slip road to Hartshead Moor services, near Huddersfield.

Rycroft and Callum, who had been in the passenger seat, then left the vehicle and were seen on CCTV walking along the busy M62 for around 0.7 miles before crossing into the central reservation.

At one point, Rycroft, who had been “drinking heavily” that evening, was seen falling over and being helped up by Callum, the court heard.

Matt has torn the family apart, he has hurt a lot of people, but mostly he has let Callum down, all because of his selfishness

Callum's mother Claire Bancroft

Rycroft then crossed back over to the hard shoulder and was followed by Callum, who ran directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

The defendant made it to the other side and carried on without looking back for his son, the court heard.

He continued to walk down the carriageway and was found hiding in a bush around 400 yards away by police officers.

On Friday, Rycroft was sentenced to 10 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to manslaughter, driving dangerously and failing to provide a specimen.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Callum had no speed awareness due to his disability.

Callum’s mother Claire Bancroft, who has since split up with Rycroft over their son’s death, said Callum “would follow (his father) everywhere” and “worshipped the ground he walked on”.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, she said: “Callum was with Matt – someone he trusted the most. Someone who should have kept him safe and brought him home.”

The court heard Rycroft has numerous convictions for driving whilst disqualified, but did have a valid driving licence at the time of the crash.

Prosecutor Michael Smith said he had visited his parents in Huddersfield with Callum and had cut the grass at Paddock Cricket Club before starting to drink and socialise in the clubhouse, buying lager, spirits and shots.

CCTV footage from the club shows Rycroft being “demonstrably unsteady on his feet” as he left the club at around 9.10pm.

The court heard Rycroft’s father thought his son was not fit to drive and offered him and Callum a bed for the night, but he decided to return to their home in Harehills, Leeds, instead.

Rycroft’s parents called him to try and persuade him to stop, and could hear Callum crying and saying his dad would not stop.

Ms Bancroft said: “Callum died as a result of Matt’s actions – something I can’t forgive him for.

Her statement described how Callum was born with spina bifida and diagnosed with autism at the age of four.

“I saw a bright future for Callum, I just know he would have achieved anything, and I am certain he would have got a good job, he would have been so good with anything practical.

“What makes matters worse, if that could be possible, is that my children have lost their dad as well as their brother and they know Callum is not here because of their dad. Matt has torn the family apart, he has hurt a lot of people, but mostly he has let Callum down, all because of his selfishness.”

Matthew Harding, mitigating, said there was “so much that was good about Matthew Rycroft’s relationship with Callum”.

“He will have to live with the utterly tragic consequences of his actions that night for the rest of his life,” he told the court.

Rycroft, who appeared via a video link from prison, could be seen sobbing and wiping his eyes as he sat with his head bowed throughout the hearing.

Sentencing Rycroft, Judge Guy Kearl KC, the Recorder of Leeds, said: “Not content with placing yourself, Callum and other road users in danger by the standard of your driving, you attempted to escape the scene by running away.

“You fell at one point, he picked you up. Worse than that, you then elected to take your son across a very busy stretch of motorway, which, knowing his limitations as you did, and his age, and his vulnerabilities, you had to have been aware that would cause him confusion and fear.

“You deliberately placed Callum in a situation where his chances of another safe crossing were slim at best.”