Man sentenced after carer left for dead in crash

A teenager who left a carer for dead in a hit-and-run crash has been sentenced to four years in a young offenders' institution.

Layton Clenton, 19, stole a Land Rover Discovery from an Ikea car park in Wednesbury on 30 September before driving to Wolverhampton.

After an initial police pursuit, he crashed at speed into a car carrying 19-year-old Freya Theobold and a colleague, who were visiting homes in their work for a care agency.

Ms Theobold, an adult nursing student, suffered severe pelvic and spinal fractures, a broken leg and needed bowel reconstruction surgery, and doctors initially feared she would never walk again.

Since the crash, she has suffered repeated flashbacks and nightmares, and spent weeks in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, and later New Cross in Wolverhampton before continuing her rehabilitation at home.

Speaking exclusively to the BBC, Ms Theobold said the past five months had been the hardest experience of her life.

Reflecting on the sentence, she said: "I feel relieved knowing it can't happen to someone else, another life won't be ruined, and just the thought that I am going to get some justice.

"I think they are very selfish actions – he's caused some really traumatic things to me.

"I hope he can learn from it and maybe not make the same mistake again - to better himself. Because no one should have to go through what I've had to go through."

Ms Theobold is now making steady progress thanks to regular rehabilitation and mental health support.

Despite that, she has had to put her University of Wolverhampton course on hold.

"I can pretend I'm as normal as I can be, but in reality my mum still has to do my daily tasks for me, and so does my nan," she said.

"I can't just walk to the shop; I can't do those things, and a lot of my independence has been taken away."

In a statement read to Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday by prosecutor Patrick Sullivan, she said she remembered "being trapped in the car... crying for my mum".

Ms Theobold stated she had "lost all dignity", and her moods "are all over the place".

"I walk very slowly. I certainly can't run.... Everything exhausts me.

"I'm extremely anxious when travelling in a car or ambulance."

Clenton was also banned from driving for three years on Friday.

The judge, His Honour Justice Ward, said the teenager had a "bad record" of offending and was someone who had "a history of stealing cars".

At an earlier hearing, Clenton, of Tennyson Road in Wolverhampton, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle theft, failing to stop, and driving without insurance and while disqualified.

Det Insp Richard Marsh, of West Midlands Police (WMP), said the Land Rover had initially been pursued by officers.

"The driver was driving at high speed and dangerously, and police backed off due to the nature of the driving," he said.

On Friday, Nicole Steers, defending, said Clenton had expressed remorse.

At one point he ended up in care and had had "some challenges", she stated.

"[He] ended up in the wrong crowd.

"He didn't have the ability or the skills to stand strong."

Freedom of Information data published by WMP shows that 305 Land Rover Discoveries were stolen in the region in 2024, more than any other model of car.

A total of 1,623 arrests were made in the 12 months to February 2025, but only 6.9% of stolen vehicles were recovered, according to the statistics.

The force recently launched a crackdown on vehicle thefts that saw 200 vehicles recovered with a combined value of £1.8m.

Det Insp Marsh said it was working with the motor industry and partners.

Additional reporting from Andrew Dawkins.

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.