Category: Thame news

FOLLOWING his presentation of a cheque to the Upward Bound Trust in Haddenham, Thame?s Mayor, Cllr Adam Buckland, was taken up into the clouds to get a bird?s eye view of Thame.

The Trust, founded in the early 1960?s, is a charity that teaches young people to fly at a highly subsidised cost. It is one of 12 local community organisations to have received a grant from Thame Town Council this year, the

PROPOSALS for a community path to enable cylists, walkers and horseriders to travel between Thame and Haddenham, will not be progressed.

Following a recent consultation by Buckinghamshire County County, council members have decided not to go ahead with the route and have issued the following statement by Cllr Rodney Rose:

“The decision has been made in light of three key issues. Firstly, given the current financial climate, it is not the right time to be pursuing such a venture. Secondly, it is clear that there is substantial objection from the landowners both sides of the County boundary. The associated risks of pursuing creation orders, with unknown compensation costs, make this an unattractive option. Thirdly, this is an area of low lying meadows known to flood in wet winters and after heavy rain.

“To promote such a route without adequate investment to address safety issues or maintenance costs (which by their nature would be in conflict with the character of the route) would be building up future problems with path users and landowners.

“A commuting and recreation route between the two settlements remains an aspiration through the Oxfordshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan and Local Transport Plan. We will continue to try and seek this type of route to be put in place, but our preference would be for a constructed facility which is suitable for year round use, possibly in part alongside the A418. We will continue to work with your council if such a route becomes likely.”

Val Letheren, BCC’s Cabinet Member for Transport, in a letter to those who had registered support for a community path between the two settlements, added:

“In light of Oxfordshire?s decision not to take forward a joint creation order to provide a route for cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians over the line of the public footpath between Moorend Lane, Thame and Scotsgrove Mill, Haddenham, Buckinghamshire County Council are unable to proceed with this route.

“Given only a short section of the route is within Buckinghamshire?s County boundary it is not practical to go through the necessary legal conversions for this section in isolation. Therefore, Buckinghamshire County Council is suspending work on this route at this time, pending a change in decision by Oxfordshire County Council.”

PHOTO: A group of local cyclists on the Pheonix Trail, the shared-use community path between Thame and Princes Risborough.

GET YOUR GARDEN TIDIED & YOUR APPLES PRESSED! Transition Thame will be at the Thame Food Festival on Saturday (25/09/10) with their apple press, and will collect windfalls and apples from anyone who would like to donate them, on Thursday and Friday this week – the benefit is that you get their garden tidied! Anyone with appled to offer can phone Lindsey on 01844 290331, to discuss a suitable time to collect.

Transition Thame have been asked about pressing people’s own apples. Although they are not encourgaing people to bring their own as they need to wash them well before using the press, they are willing to lend people the press for a small donation. So go along to the festival for a demonstration anyway to to taste the delivious juice fresh off the press!

WORLD’S LONGEST CUCUMBER

The Guiness world record for the longest cucumber, set by Frank Dimmock of Thame, two years ago at 41 inches, still stands after a 47 inch challenger’s cucumber rotted before it could be verified recently. But a 42 ins specimen grown by the same woman could yet be verified – if it doesn’t rot first.

CUTS TO COUNTY’S FUNDING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN’S SERVICES

The government has now advised the county council of a substantial cut in the capital grant for Children’s Centres and Early Years capital grant funding.

Cllr Louise Chapman, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “The government has now advised the county council of a substantial cut in the grant for Children’s Centres, pre-schools and nurseries grant funding. Council staff and councillors are now working to identify which projects originally on the list will be able to go ahead and be completed by March next year which is the deadline for the funding.

“We will let people know as soon as possible and I know it will be very disappointing but given the national financial situation – it is also understandable.

“I will be meeting early this week with council staff responsible for the projects to discuss how we cut our cloth according to the budget we have now been given.”

A GROUP of young supporters is seen here enjoying a Quiz Night held recently in aid of Thame and District Day Centre, which meets on three days a week at Thame Community Hospital. The evening raised

The family of 18 year-old Greg Stiles, who died as a result of the dangerous driving of a convicted hobby racing driver, has thanked the people of Thame for their support throughout their ordeal.

In a statement yesterday after the trial of 26 year-old Sam Edwards of Marsh, Aylesbury, Maggie Stiles, Greg’s mother, said:

“The last three weeks have been a harrowing ordeal and we are very thankful that it is now over and we have achieved some measure of justice for Greg. He was a phenomenal kid and we have done this for him. We have come into court every morning and felt such distress but we know that we have done our very best for him.

“We would like to thank the police, especially those from the Aylesbury Roads Policing Unit for their work and dedication.

“We would like to thank as a family the CPS for all their hard work and to thank personally the emergency services and the air ambulance for all they did, and especially the Thame community without whom we would have struggled to cope.

“We must now learn to live without our son of whom we are so proud, and who is so desperately missed, and to mend our shattered lives.?

Maggie Stiles, a Practice Nurse, then spoke about the dreadful day she heard the news of her son?s death, while she was shopping in High Wycombe.

“But now,” she concluded: ?We have been dealt this card and it is up to us to deal with it the best we can.?

THE FULL IMPACT ON GREG’S FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Unless such a tragedy as this has happened to them, few people can imagine the full impact that the loss of a family member and friend can have on those left behind. As is becoming more and more common after such trials, Greg’s family have issued the following Victim impact statement which was also given to the judge and lawyers on both sides at the conclusion of the trial:

“There are no words in any dictionary or any language to describe what losing Greg, our 18-year-old son and brother, has done to us as a family. Words are insufficient to say how our world has been blown apart, our lives devastated and us as individuals changed forever. Nothing in life is worse than losing a child especially so suddenly and unexpectedly. What started as a normal Sunday ended with Greg?s dad Rob needing to identify his son?s body in a hospital mortuary and his mum Maggie having to tell her other son Mark, that his younger brother had been killed. The total shock and pain we felt that day is indescribable and that pain and shock continues every day.

It was absolute torture knowing that two post mortems had to be carried out on your child because the accident was a coroner?s case. No parent should ever have to endure that on his or her child. Having to arrange Greg?s funeral was unbearable. How do you choose a coffin for your child and what music do you have at his funeral?! There were over 350 people at Greg?s funeral, across all ages, family friends and hundreds from the local community in Thame, which was an indication of the shock and grief being felt by others as well as us.

In the weeks and months that have followed we wake up every day to feel a train hit us in the chest at the total disbelief that Greg is no longer here. We have endured torture waiting to hear from the police as to whether there was enough evidence to result in a trial, every rolled over bail date sent us into freefall again wishing the nightmare would end. We still can?t believe we have lost Greg, we cannot comprehend never seeing him again as ?never? is too long. Not only have we lost a son and brother but he was our friend too who we love and miss more and more every day.

Following the accident Rob, Maggie and Mark were not fit to work and were all signed off sick. Rob was unable to work for four months. As a HGV driver it is crucial to be able to concentrate and drive safely and Rob was unable to do this as his mind was preoccupied and he was in shock. When he did return to work he was put on short shifts for several weeks. Subsequently Rob has reduced his hours permanently as he is unable to undertake such long hours as he used to.

Mark was on an industrial placement as part of his Engineering Degree and was only able to take two weeks sick and two weeks holiday off work, otherwise he would not have completed the required element for his degree. It was almost impossible for him to psychologically cope with what was required of him. Despite this he gained a First Class Honours Degree in motor sport engineering this summer and has recently commenced full-time employment within the motor sport industry. He misses Greg terribly as a friend as well as a brother, and the banter that used to go on between them. He will never have the chance to be an uncle to Greg?s children, or a best man at his wedding, his future with his brother has been destroyed.

Maggie was unable to return to her job as a full time nurse manager in the Health Service. A position she had worked hard to achieve. She was unable to cope with the stress and demands of the job and was off work for eight months. During this time she started having counselling each week, which is still continuing. She suffered anxiety and panic attacks for several months. She tried to return to work after six months off sick but was unable to cope. Eventually in January this year she managed to change her job to a part-time nurse in a local GP practice. She is just about coping with her new job, thanks to a very supportive team with whom she works and also the ongoing weekly counselling sessions through the CRUSE charity.

We are weary of life and often struggle to keep going, as there seems little point. Our lives are devastated forever, and our future has been blown apart, through no choice of our own or Greg?s. We have no control over what has happened and we will never come to terms with losing Greg and never get over this nightmare. All we will ever do is somehow learn to cope and function within the nightmare. Thankfully, we are surrounded by a supportive family and fantastic friends who are always there for us, but they are suffering their own grief at the loss of Greg too. Thame community as a whole has been incredibly supportive and we have been overwhelmed by people?s kindness but the pain and loss, hurt and anger we feel will continue forever. Sometimes we have to live day by day, as that is all we can manage, as the future is too frightening to contemplate.

Rob, Maggie and Mark Stiles
September 2010

PHOTO: (Copyright Sonja Francis) Maggie Stiles (front-right) Greg’s mum, watches with others who have lost young people, as dozens of balloons are released into the air at the recent launch of the Thame Youth Memorial Trust. http://www.thameyouthmemorial.org/
The Stiles family have been huge supporters and promotors of the Trust’s work and tireless fund-raisers

A world-class Porche racing driver was today found guilty of causing the death of a Thame teenager by dangerous driving.

Sam Edwards, 26, of Marsh, near Aylesbury, was given a prison sentence of five years and disqualified from driving for eight years.

The court heard how Edwards’ dangerous overtaking caused a Ford Fiesta being driven towards him by 19 year old Greg Stiles, to veer off the Kingsey Road, Thame, in May last year, and crash into a vehicle travelling behind Edwards.

Edwards was second in the world in the 2008 Porche Carrera World Championship. He is a professional HGV driver.

In sentencing Edwards, the judge took into consideration a previous conviction in November 2004 when he was found guilty of dangerous driving and violent disorder.

A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to five years? imprisonment for causing death by dangerous driving.

Sammy Edwards, from Lake House, Marsh, near Aylesbury, was found guilty at Reading Crown Court today (16/9), of causing the death by dangerous driving of 18-year-old Greg Stiles in May 2009. He was sentenced to five years? imprisonment.

At about 2.40pm on Sunday 17 May, Greg Stiles and his girlfriend Abigail Dowdy were travelling in a blue Ford Fiesta on the A4129, Risborough Road, from Kingsey to Longwick. Edwards was driving a blue BMW X5 and dangerously overtook three cars at high speed, forcing Greg Stiles to take avoiding action resulting in him swerving into another vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene and Abigail was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital with serious injuries, which she recovered from.

Edwards did not stop at the scene of the collision. After extensive witness appeals and a thorough investigation by the Roads Policing Department, Edwards was arrested on 27 May 2009. Officers continued to gather evidence to prove Edwards was responsible for the collision and he was charged in February 2010.

PC Phil Hanham, Senior Investigating Officer, said: ?Edwards?s vehicle made no contact in the collision and failed to stop at the scene, therefore officers had no physical evidence to tie Edwards or his vehicle to the collision. The investigation team relied on good investigation techniques using CCTV from various locations in Buckinghamshire, ANPR and mobile phone data downloads to prove Edwards was at the scene and caused the collision in which Greg died.

?Edwards has never taken responsibility for his actions and changed his story in interview three times in an attempt to evade justice. I am pleased he has been sent to prison for causing the death on an 18-year-old man with his whole life ahead of him, and seriously injuring another person. I hope he has time to reflect on the pain and devastation he has caused Greg?s family and friends.?

PHOTO: Sam Edwards

A pensioner charged with causing the death of a Thame teacher by dangerous driving, was committed to Oxford Crown Court today by Banbury magistrates today.

Sally Rundle, 72, was involved in the collision that fatally injured Ellie Bongers, 32, a teacher at Lord Willians’s school, Thame, and seriously injured her 19 month-old son Joseph who later died.

The collision happened on the A4260 at Tackley on December 20, 2009.

Ms Rundle, of Oxford Road, Bodicote, Banbury, is due to appear on September 20. She was released on unconditional bail.

PHOTO: The late Ellie Bongers

THE two opposing lawyers in the trial of a man charged with the death of Thame teenager, Greg Stiles by dangerous driving, have today been summing up.

The Prosecution’s case

The main points for the prosecution by Mr Neil Moore for the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service), included his asking the jury to contrast the the quality of the attitude and evidence of the “honest and public spirited” witnesses who came forward as a result of the police appeal, with that of the defendant’s brother, Terry Edwards. He, (Terry Edwards)said Mr Moore, appeared to have had vital evidence that could have potentially helped his younger brother, the defendant Sammy Edwards, but did not come forward.

Referring to Terry Edwards’ evidence in court yesterday, Mr Moore said of him, that, having “nailed his colours to the mast” by giving a time that he saw his younger brother in their father’s house on the morning of the collision: “…he (Terry Edwards) then broadened his timing, once he heard that his brother wasn’t in the house when he (Terry) said he had asked Sammy for a lift to Thame.”

“He just does not have the qualities of the other prosecution witnesses,” concluded Mr Moore.

He called the defendant, Sammy Edwards, “A weak and inadequate man in many ways,” and accused him of continually blaming others for his behaviour. Edwards, he said: “…blamed his father for telling him to lie about being in the car, his solicitor for telling him to answer “No comment” to all questions in subsequent statement to the police, and then an unknown ‘someone else’ for his answers of “no comment” in his Defence statement.

“Finally, he had the audacity to suggest that Greg Stiles was responsible for his own death, and the injuries to his girlfriend! It’s always someone else’s fault according to him.”

It is alleged that Sammy Edwards’ actions in overtaking three cars in the way that he did, forced Greg Stile’s car coming in the other direction, off the road and then to spin into the side of the second car, killing him.

Mr Moore added: “I invite you to conclude that the defendant’s driving fell far below that of a safe and competent driver. His immediate future, the importance to the public at large as well as to Greg Stiles’ family, demands that if you the jury are sure that it was this that caused this offence, it must be punished.”

The Defence case

The main points put to the jury by Defence barrister, Mr Ben Maguire included the submission that Sammy Edwards now accepted that he had lied to police in the first instance by denying that he was driving the blue BMW X5 on the morning of the collision, and suggested that “lies do not always mean guilt.”

“The defendant,” said Mr Maguire, has not been dealt much in the way of brains and is therefore susceptible to appalling advice such as that given by his father.”

“It had been suggested to him that the investigation might have taken on the appearance of some sort of ‘witch hunt’ which made him feel that the investigation might not be totally fair. Then having lied, he felt trapped by that lie,” suggested Mr Maguire. “He is telling the truth now,” concluded Mr Maguire.

Mr Maguire told the jury that they could not be certain about some of the assertions made by the Prosecution that they, the jury could “be sure of.”

He referred in particular to a conflict of evidence about the colour of the vehicle involved in the road-rage incident reported after the collision. Some witnesses had, he said, described a vehicle of a different colour and type to that of the blue BMW X5.

He asserted that there were differences in witness accounts of whether and when they could see Greg Stiles’ car coming towards them, and whether or not Sammy Edwards was seen to drive his car over into the on-coming carriageway before the collision.

Mr Maguire also urged the jury to consider the evidence of an off-duty police officer, who said that he saw the blue BMW 5X in Stoke Mandeville six and a half minutes before CCTV showed it to be in the Eden Centre car park, 17 miles away – a journy, he suggested, would have taken at least 25 minutes.

He also asked the jury to consider, what he called, “the understandable pressure on the police, the witnesses and the jury when someone has died, to want to apportion blame,” and urged them to reach their verdict “based on cold impartiality based on the facts.”

Mr Maguire concluded: “We invite you to conclude that the Prosecution has failed to make you sure that Sammy Edwards was guilty of dangerous driving; that you conclude that you cannot be sure about many things you have been asked to be sure about.”

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict tomorrow, Thursday, once the judge, Mary Jane Mowatt, has completed her summing up.

PHOTO: Courtesy of GetReading.co.uk