He overtook another car at 87mph and killed his best friend

A custody image of William Martin
-Credit: (Image: Nottinghamshire Police)


A young speeding driver has been sent to prison for 12 years after causing a catastrophic three-car pile up in Nottinghamshire which resulted in the death of one of his best friends. William Martin's yellow Seat collided almost head-on with a Toyota, killing his best friend Adam Sissons as well as injuring himself and two other people.

Nottingham Crown Court heard the 23-year-old's car left the road and overturned into a ditch after he had crossed to the wrong side of the road to overtake slower-moving traffic. Mr Sissons, 22, was declared dead at the scene.

NottinghamshireLive reports that analysis later discovered the defendant had been driving at 87mph on the 60mph-limit road just moments before the crash. A member of Nottinghamshire Police described the incident as a "tragic case" and a "cruel reminder of the life-shattering consequences" of dangerous driving.

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Louise Melbourne of Nottinghamshire Police's serious collision investigation unit said: "A young man sadly lost his life and others suffered potentially life-altering injuries as a direct result of Martin's dangerous driving that day. Our thoughts remain with his devastated family and friends and all those who were impacted by Martin's reckless decisions and actions.

"This tragic case is a cruel reminder of the life-shattering consequences that can happen through dangerous driving and it is crucial lessons are learned from this so that other lives aren't lost in such circumstances. Not only will Martin now be serving time behind bars but he has also condemned the family of one of his best friends to a life sentence without their loved one."

The collision occurred on the A614 Blyth Road in Ollerton village in the county of Nottinghamshire at around 5.30pm on September 8, 2023. Martin's yellow Seat was travelling southbound when the 23-year-old overtook traffic and collided with the Toyota, which was travelling northbound and had moved into a filter lane intending to turn right into Whitewater Lane.

It was confirmed that Mr Sissons, who was the defendant's front-seat passenger, had sadly died at the scene. Another of his friends in the back seat, a 23-year-old man, suffered a fractured sternum and bruised lung. The driver and front-seat passenger in the Toyota also sustained serious injuries.

Adam Sissons
Adam Sissons was confirmed dead at the scene -Credit:Nottinghamshire Police

The driver, a 33-year-old woman, was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre with suspected life-altering injuries including multiple fractures which required surgery. The front-seat passenger, a 19-year-old woman, had to be freed from the vehicle by the fire and rescue service. She was also taken to hospital.

Her injuries again included multiple fractures which required surgery. The court heard that an eight-week-old baby was secured in his car seat in the back of the Toyota at the time of the collision. Police confirmed that miraculously the infant only sustained minor injuries.

Another vehicle, a Volkswagen Caddy Maxi, heading northbound at the time, was also involved in the collision caused by Martin. A 65-year-old woman, who was in the front passenger seat, had to be rescued from the vehicle by the fire and rescue service.

She sustained fractured ribs and a fracture to her right ankle and required surgery. Her 66-year-old husband, who was driving, sustained minor injuries and was later discharged the same day.

Martin himself suffered a fracture to his leg, which required hospital admission and surgery. He was arrested at the scene and later told police that his dangerous driving at the time was due to a Porsche travelling close behind him which he was fearful of.

But using data from the defendant's and the Porsche driver's mobile phones it was determined the Porsche was a considerable distance behind the Seat at the time of the collision. Martin, of Woodhouse Court, Mansfield Woodhouse, was subsequently charged and he went on to plead guilty to one count of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. As well as the jail term he was also banned from driving for 13 years. The speed he was travelling at the time of impact is not known.