Man jailed for causing death by dangerous driving in Leeds
Last updated 21st Nov 2025
A man who was driving at around 80mph in a 30mph zone when he hit and killed a 19-year-old in Leeds has been jailed for more than 15 years.
Ashton Kitchen-White was preparing to go to university to study medicine when the collision happened on Ring Road Beeston Park, Middleton on 16 May this year.
He was hit by a speeding Ford Focus ST driven by Regan Kemp, 26, who then got out of the car and ran away from the scene.
Detectives from West Yorkshire Police’s Major Collision Enquiry Team launched an investigation and quickly established that the Ford Focus had travelled from Scotland to Leeds earlier that day.
A video recorded on a mobile phone inside the car showed Kemp speeding up moments before the collision, with a passenger heard commenting ‘that’s crazy fast’.
CCTV then showed Kemp abandoning the car and running away, before getting into another car minutes later with his friends and driving back to Scotland.
He then made his way back down to his home in Lafrowda Close, Penzance, Cornwall and detectives carried out extensive enquiries at both ends of the country before Kemp then handed himself in. He was arrested four days later on 20 May and brought back to Leeds to be questioned.
Yesterday afternoon (Thursday) Kemp was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial at Leeds Crown Court and was sentenced to 15 years and six months behind bars.
He was also banned from driving for 17 years and two months.
Ashton’s family paid tribute to him in a series of emotional statements read out in court.
His mother, Hayley, said:
"I cannot describe the devastation at the loss of my sweet boy who never did anything wrong and had dreams of becoming a doctor. I think about him all day every day and at home I’m surrounded by his things which are now constant reminders that he will not come home to me again. I still say good morning and goodnight sweetheart when I walk past his bedroom as I have to believe he is still with me in some way.”
His dad, Andrew, said:
“A big part of me died with Ashton. Ashton was a beautiful soul from the minute he was born. He was my first born and my first true love.
“He was about to embark on a journey to study medicine at Leeds University, because all Ashton wanted to do was help people. He loved to travel and planned to see the world.
“Ashton’s siblings will never get over the trauma of losing their big brother. His two-year-old brother wakes up every day asking if he can see Ashton today. I’m literally living in a nightmare.”
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle said:
“Ashton’s death was needless and completely avoidable, and it has had a devastating impact on the many people who knew and loved him.
“Kemp’s reckless actions highlight the catastrophic consequences that can come from speeding, one of the ‘fatal five’ offences identified as the key causes of serious collisions. It is right that he will now spend a substantial amount of time behind bars.
“I hope this case serves as a reminder to all road users of the responsibility we take on when sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle. If you choose to ignore the rules of the road and behave selfishly and recklessly, your actions could result in the most serious of consequences - the loss of an innocent person’s life.”