News Beat
Teesside man branded ‘wannabe gangster’ has been jailed
Euan Corbett taunted police as he posted images of himself in Europe and South East Asia as he remained on the run for more than two years.
The 26-year-old was forced to listen to the devastating impact the death Shane Finn had on his family as he continued to evade justice.
The 21-year-old, from Grangetown, Middlesbrough, was travelling in a blue Audi A3 which crashed on Knott Road, north of Rosedale Abbey, at about 1pm on Saturday, May 2, 2020.
Finn’s partner and mother of his child told Teesside Crown Court that Corbett’s behaviour while he was on the run felt like a “dagger to the heart”.
Georgia Dixon said: “I couldn’t bear to explain how her life was turned upside down before she was old enough to properly talk.
“Due to Covid (restrictions) we were not able to go to hospital, hold his hand and tell him how much we loved him.”
She added: “The social media posts us as a family have had to witness have been nothing but a dagger to the heart at our most vulnerable time.”
And Finn’s father, Steven, branded Corbett a “waste of human skin” for putting his family through the horror, knowing he was on the run and avoiding justice.
“This has left a long-lasting empty void in our lives which can never be filled,” he said.
“The poor excuse for a human being who caused the accident never called for an ambulance and was only concerned with trying to escape the blame.
“Then to flee the country and post taunt after taunt to the police to catch him, leaving everyone suffering while he lived it up.
“Finally, I would like to say to Corbett, the heartless, non-caring pathetic excuse for a man, people like you should be locked up – you are a waste of human skin.”
Jonathan Gittins, prosecuting, said Mr Finn suffered a significant head injury and died a couple of days after the Audi left the road while travelling in excess of 100mph.
He said Corbett claimed the driver had run away after the crash and the defendant was trying to arrange a lift to get away from the scene along with another passenger in the car.
Mr Finn, who was a rear seat passenger, was flung through the gap in the front seats and smashed his head against the windscreen.
Corbett, who appeared by video link from HMP Hull, had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death whilst uninsured and causing death without a driving licence.
He was also convicted of conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence following a shooting incident on Liverton Avenue, Middlesbrough, on July 5, 2023.
Two unidentified men arrived outside the victim’s house and one of them discharged a shotgun through her window.
The court heard Corbett orchestrated the attack while on the run abroad.
Shahid Rashid, mitigating, said his client wished to apologise for the harm that he caused to Mr Finn’s family.
Judge Jonathan Carroll branded Corbett a “wanna-be gangster” as he rejected his apology on behalf of the family for the contemptuous way he had evaded arrest after his “cavalier disregard” for the rule of law.
“You simply did not care about the family of Shane Finn as you mocked the police and anyone else with your absconding,” he said.
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“That is why when your counsel says you want to apologise – I, on behalf of the family, want to make it clear to you that I utterly and absolutely reject any sign of remorse from you.
“It rings too hollow and too empty considering your conduct since you fled the country.”
Dealing with the firearms charge, Judge Carroll added: “You were behaving like some third rate, pound shop wannabe gangster with your loansharking – if it wasn’t so serious it would be pathetic.”
Corbett was jailed for a total of 15 years and two months for all offences and was banned from driving for 14 years and one month.
