A driver has admitted being over the alcohol limit following a collision which killed 19-year-old Bailey Chadwick near Pateley Bridge.
Joseph Henry Stott changed his plea to guilty during a trial at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court.
The 25-year-old admitted driving while over the prescribed alcohol limit after Bailey was struck on the B6265 at Lupton Bank, between Pateley Bridge and Glasshouses, in the early hours of Sunday 20th July 2025.
Stott was not arrested until four days after the collision, meaning his alcohol level at the time was established using a forward calculation.
North Yorkshire Police said it was the first time the force had secured a conviction using that method.
Stott denied charges of failing to stop following a road accident and failing to report an accident.
Those pleas were accepted by the court following his admission to the drink-driving offence.
He had previously admitted driving without insurance.
Stott was banned from driving for 20 months and given a 12-month community order, including 135 hours of unpaid work and an alcohol-monitoring tag for 80 days.
Detective Inspector Jill Cowling, of North Yorkshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said:
“Before anything else, I want to acknowledge Bailey’s family and loved ones.
“The loss of a child, sibling, family member or friend in such sudden and tragic circumstances is something no family should ever have to endure.
“Throughout this investigation, our thoughts have remained with Bailey’s family as they continue to navigate the profound grief, trauma and loss caused by his death.”
DI Cowling thanked the Pateley Bridge community and wider public for their help during what she described as a “complex and extensive investigation”.
She added:
“While the outcome at court cannot ease the pain suffered by Bailey’s family, it demonstrates our commitment to conducting thorough and professional investigations and holding offenders accountable for their actions.
“Bailey’s death is also a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can arise when individuals choose to drive after consuming alcohol.”
In a statement, Bailey’s mum described how his death had devastated his family, friends and the wider community.
She said:
“Our family has been broken by his death. His siblings have lost their brother, their friend, and this will affect them deeply for the rest of their lives.
“Every family gathering has an empty space where Bailey should be. His absence is felt in every silence, every memory, every moment.”
She said a shrine had been created in Pateley Bridge where people gather, leave flowers, light candles and play the music Bailey loved.
She added:
“Bailey deserved to live. He deserved to travel, to love, to grow, to build the future he dreamed of.
“Instead, we are left with memories, heartbreak and a lifetime of wondering who he would have become.
“The impact of his death is permanent – for me, for our family, for his friends and for the community that loved him.”
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