myblackwrx

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BBC NEWS | England | Manchester | Man jailed after Gumball deaths

Man jailed after Gumball deaths

The rally was called off after the incident
A Cheshire millionaire has been jailed in Macedonia after a crash during an international car rally which left two pensioners dead.
Nicholas Morley, 30, from Bowden, and co-driver Matthew McConville, were taking part in the Gumball Rally.

Their Porsche collided with another car, killing the driver Vladimir Chepunjoski and his wife Margarita.

Mr Morley has been charged with dangerous driving and is being held in prison after his bail was revoked.

He is being held in Ohrid Prison in Macedonia, criticised as "overcrowded and cramped" by watchdogs.

This year's Gumball Rally was from London to Istanbul and back.

The incident happened near Struga, close to the Macedonian border, when a Porsche 911 collided with a Volkswagen Golf, on 4 May.

Race abandoned

Mr Morley and Mr McConville are alleged to have left the scene of the accident, although their lawyers say they waited for ambulance crews and reported the crash to police.

Both were then bailed and Mr McConville returned to the UK.

The pair were driving in the Gumball Rally, an annual 3,000-mile Europe-wide tour which attracts the rich and famous.

Hundreds of businessmen, playboys and celebrities pay £28,000 to drive super cars such as Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis.

Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay and the model Caprice took part this year before the race was abandoned following the fatal crash.

Organisers insist it is a tour of cultural sites and drivers have to abide by the laws and road regulations of the country

davyboy

Shame

Petem95

Says he is in prision in Macedonia, but it also says they were bailed and returned to the UK?

I would find it very surprising for him to have been charged, then return to Macedonia from the UK to serve time in jail - his lawyers just wouldn't allow this surely, and if anything he would serve the jail time in a UK prison?

oobster

'Both were then bailed and Mr McConville returned to the UK.'

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

When in Rome....................Dragev the Impala will no doubt be looking for some Western Meat

Petem95

Gotcha, sorry I misread it!

mrtheedge2u2

Drive like an idiot and cause two people's deaths = prison time...... simple as that!

Jamie

He will have a sore **** when he leaves!

monkeysan

not quite as sore as "Vladimir Chepunjoski and his wife Margarita"


just proves, money cant buy common sense!

Jamie

Well said

swtmerce

there's a big part of this story missing. Whilst on bail in Macedonia, Morley tried to escape on a private jet from a rural airstrip. He was caught at the airstrip! His brother (dodgy f**ker that he is) had organised it and was at the airstrip waiting.

pwhittle

Is this 'Chesire Millionaire' of Liverpoodlian (Sp) origin by any chnace? In my experience most scousers with money end up there

monkeysan

being scouse could explain the dodgyness

auto scooby

The Morleys are a very well of family. His father Harold was a successful rally driver in the 70's.

They are generally a hard working family. Harold owns a lot of commercial property in the North West. Willow Park in Warrington just of the A580 is one of his ventures.

I have worked with most of the family in the past. Nick is not a young rich chinless wonder that you may associate with this type of thing. Harold has not bank-rolled any of his son's he has expected them all to make their own way.

swtmerce

Mmmm, what I hear is something completely different. VAT and carousel spring to mind....but never convicted. And it's neither of the Morley's you mention.

Leslie

Its a sad reflection on organising an event like this which is more likely than not to encourage bad driving from some of the less responsible entrants. I will be surprised if the event is held again and it probably would be better if it was not.

We have no way of knowing what actually happened to cause the accident, but if it was all his fault it is hardly surprising he is in gaol. When you think about it, it just is not worth pushing your luck in such circumstances.

Les

wilfthree

I think some of the comments are disproportionate for what was after all a tragic accident of a type that could have probably just as easily happened to most of the Gumball field and more generally to performance car enthusiasts the country over come to think of it.

I think the phrase is "....there but for the grace of God."

This lock em up throw away the key mentality is pretty sad. Those that pedal it may one day think differently when they find themselves on the receiving end.

Unless you never exceed the speed limit (which I just dont believe) then you are taking a similar risk that one day you may have an accident kill someone whilst speeding and then be prosecuted for death by dangerous.

brihoppy

quite right...tragic about the fatalities, but...

im sure im not the only one here whos spent time, and i must say a significant amount of time, in the balkans, and particularly macedonia where the standard of driving is absolutely appalling...

theres no real way of knowing who was at fault but ill tell you this, ive had run-ins with the macedonian police myself more than once whilst on duty and i wouldnt trust them as far as i could cough phlegm out of my a*se so i can almost guarantee their investigation will be inept and clumsy and probably more than a little biased...if hes well off im surprised he cant buy himself out of it as corruption is rife...

cw42

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Just googled the area and it's not a bad looking coastal spot
Google Maps
On the same note as above, there but for the grace of god, is very true. Doesn't bother me that he's some rich kid having fun, that what I'd be doing if I had that sort of money Good luck to him, from some accounts I've heard, it wasn't even his fault, old chap pulled out from side junction into his path! No excessive speed involved.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Yes, I heard about the VAT thing, 250 million, a friend of a friends husband is involved, I wondered how they had a house in Monaco.