TWO motorists took part in a dangerous high-speed race along north Cumbrian roads before one crashed into a field, injuring two women passengers.

Thomas Bright, 23, was originally charged with causing one of his passengers serious injury by dangerous driving but a legal review later concluded the woman’s injuries could not be classified as serious and so that charge was dropped.

But both Bright and his co-defendant Nathan Addis, also 23, admitted dangerous driving, and both were given suspended jail terms.

Carlisle Crown Court heard that the two defendants took part in what was essentially a “pre-arranged” street race.

They met for this purpose at a layby on the outskirts of Cargo village north of Carlisle on the evening of November 29, 2019.

Bright was driving a Vauxhall Corsa and Addis a Skoda Fabia. Shortly before 10pm, a third man gave the pair the prearranged signal to start the race by three times sounding the horn of his car.

In the minutes that followed, the court heard, the defendants sped away, racing along Cargo Straight, though Carlisle, and eventually on to the A689, with their cars at times reaching speeds of up to 100mph.

Their route also took in Kingstown Broadway, Brampton Old Road, Stanwix Bank, Eden Bridge, Georgian Way, St Nicholas Bridge, Victoria Place and the A689.

A 9.51pm, Addis dialled 999 to report that the Corsa had crashed off that road near Brampton after failing to negotiate a bend, the car rolling multiple times after it left the road.

The two women passengers in the Corsa were injured.

After hearing details of the case, Judge Nicholas Dean QC imposed 14-month jail terms on both Bright, of Moorhouse Road, Carlisle, and Addis, of Levens Drive, Morton, suspending the prison term for two years for each defendant.

In addition, both defendants must complete 180 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Both were given a one-year driving ban, the judge noting that it would have been longer were it not for the delay in getting the case to court.

Both defendants must pass an extended retest before they can drive independently again.

The third defendant, Dylan Gilheaney, 22, of Heysham Drive, Raffles, Carlisle, admitted aiding and abetting dangerous driving. He was given a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years.

He must complete 120 hours of unpaid work and he was banned from driving for a year also. He too must pass an extended retest before he can drive independently again.