Chorley Old Road drug driver jailed for killing motorcylist

Cormac Sale, now also 22, had been driving a Skoda Fabia from Horwich towards Bolton along Chorley Old Road on a wet and dark night on December 14, 2024.

More than a year on, Bolton Crown Court heard how Sale had alarmed a series of witnesses with his dangerous driving before causing the tragic crash that killed Spencer Rothwell-Poole.

Jonathan Savage, prosecuting, said: “At the time the weather was poor and the road was wet.”

Sale, who wore a shirt and tie in the dock, listened on as Mr Savage told a packed court room full of Spencer’s loved ones how Sale had been seen by five different witnesses.

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Anthony Moss)

He said a woman driving past Sale had feared he was going to hit her, while a passing van driver managed to see the defendant through the window.

Mr Savage said: “He was able to see the driver and he described the defendant’s face as expressionless.”

Other witnesses saw Sale driving the Skoda at between 60-75mph, well over the speed limit on that part of Chorley Old Road and weaving over to the wrong side of the road.

Tragedy struck when Sale crashed into Spencer, who had been riding his motorbike at the correct speed and in a proper manner.

Spencer Rothwell-Poole was a well-loved son and brother (Image: Public)

Sale appeared to keep his eyes on the ground as the court was played footage showing the horrific head on crash he had caused after crossing over to the wrong side of the carriageway.

Witnesses rushed to help and Sale appeared to be incoherent, asking “has there been a car crash?”

Spencer was tragically declared dead at the scene.

Interviewed by police, Sale admitted in a prepared statement that he had taken an “unspecified amount of Ketamine” and that he had been treated for addiction.

But a blood sample showed that he had nearly ten times the legal limit in his system at the time, while his car insurance appeared to have lapsed not long before.

Spencer was renowned for his love of motorcycles (Image: Public)

Videos found on Sale’s mobile phone showed a long pattern of dangerous driving in the six months leading up to December.

One such video appeared to show him inhaling from a balloon while behind the wheel.

 Another showed a woman inhaling nitrous oxide and appearing to drive the car with her foot while Sale sat in the driver’s seat.

Another photograph appeared to show Sale driving with one hand while there were also several messages about the acquisition and use of Ketamine.

Fellow motorcyclists paid tribute at Spencer’s funeral procession (Image: Public)

Sale, of Ina Avenue, Bolton, ultimately pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier court hearing.

He denied causing death by driving while uninsured, which was not pursued by the prosecution.

A moving statement from Spencer’s father Derek Poole spoke of how his son had been a “little miracle” who had overcome being born with a “hole in his heart” and “infection after infection”.

Spencer had pulled through to spend happy years at nursery and primary school, growing up with his brother Josh.

Having been diagnosed with Autism, Spencer “came on leaps and bounds” after attending a special school.

Mr Poole said: “He was very kind and thoughtful, even though he was very shy Spencer was always there with a smile on his face.”

He added: “He loved motorbikes, sometimes more than anything else, that was his chance to get away.”

Spencer’s love and knowledge of motorbikes stayed with him for the rest of his life and he would often work with his brother Josh on them.

Mr Poole said: “Everybody knew Spencer as GG as he was a big unit over six foot odd and he was a gentle giant who loved everybody and everybody loved him.”

Turning to the devastating crash, he added: “Cormac Sale didn’t just kill my son. He killed the family.”

Mr Savage added a further statement from Spencer’s brother Josh who spoke about how in his short life Spencer had been his “best friend”.

He said: “If I have children, he would have been an amazing uncle, he would have been the joker of the family.”

He added: “He was an amazing, safe, careful motorbike rider who did everything by the book.

“I miss him every day.”

David James, defending, said Sale, who has no previous convictions, had earned credit for his eventual guilty plea.

He said he had shown real remorse since then and that he had been working to address what had made him offend in the way he had since then.

Mr James said that Spencer would “be on his shoulders” for the rest of his life and that Sale wished to offer a “public apology” through him to the family.

But Judge Jon Close said Sale’s lack of previous convictions were “purely fortunate” given the record of criminal driving the court had heard about.

He said that five other drivers had expressed concerns about Sale’s behaviour that night.

In Spencer’s case, he said there was “no suggestion that he was doing anything other than driving appropriately and properly down that road”.

Judge Close noted that in the months leading up to the fatal crash, Sale had shown evidence he had been driving in a “reprehensible manner”.

Turning to Spencer’s family, Judge Close said Sale had left “ruin in your wake.”

Judge Close said: “You have taken from them more than you could ever hope to realise.”

He added: “Your selfish actions took the life of a good man who, as you have heard, was well loved.”

Judge Close jailed Sale for ten years and eight months, ruling that he will have to serve two thirds of his time in prison before being eligible for parole.

He banned him from driving for five years with a seven year and one month extension to take account of his time in prison.

Before going down to the cells Sale appeared to say: “I’m sorry, I really am sorry.”

Judge Close concluded by thanking members of Spencer’s family for their “quiet dignity.”