Teenager jailed for driving dangerously and killing friend in Aughton crash
17-year-old Max Greenhouse died after the collision on Fir Tree Lane in Aughton in December 2024
Last updated 15th May 2026
An 18-year-old has been jailed for four years after driving dangerously and killing his friend in a crash just days after passing his driving test.
Joe McAldon, of Ridgeway Drive, Lydiate, Merseyside, has also been disqualified from driving for eight years.
The court heard that McAldon had passed his driving test just six days before the collision on 11 December 2024.
He'd picked up his friends, 17-year-old Max Greenhouse, and two other boys, aged 16 and 17 at the time, before driving to Clieves Hill in Aughton.
He later sped down a rural lane away from Clieves Hill and lost control of his Vauxhall Corsa.
He collided with the stone wall of a farmhouse just after 9pm.
The court was told witnesses heard a loud bang as the car struck the wall, followed by McAldon shouting: “I need to get out.”
McAldon and the two surviving passengers were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Max was also taken to hospital but died a short time later.
An investigation found McAldon's car was travelling at at least 57mph in a 40mph zone.
McAldon said in police interviews that he couldn't remember the crash and answered no comment to further questions.
He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Preston Crown Court to causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
A tribute to Max
Max's family said in tribute: “Our son, Max, was just 17 years old. He was a loving, caring boy who brought so much warmth and kindness into the lives of everyone who knew him. He had his whole life ahead of him-his plans, his dreams, his future—all taken away in an instant.
“The actions of one individual have torn our world apart in a way that words can barely describe. No sentence can ever make up for the loss we now live every single day.
“We will never get over losing Max. There will always be an empty space in our lives where he should be-at home with us, laughing with his friends, growing into the person he was meant to become.
“We hope this case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences dangerous driving can have. One reckless decision can destroy lives-not only for those directly involved, but for the families and communities left behind.
“Max deserved the chance to live his life. That chance has been taken from him, and from us, forever.”