Latest news with #Lillie
Irish Independent
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
The top ten things to do in Sligo this week, July 16-22: Ballygawley Music Festival, Jazz Festival, Wipeout & more
Ballygawley Music Festival and Sligo Jazz 2025 get underway in the coming days, while South Sligo Summer School continues until this weekend. Check out our top pick of this week's events below. Ballygawley Music Festival Ballygawley Music Festival takes place this weekend from Friday July 18 until Sunday July 20 in Ballygawley and is expected to sell-out. Enjoy music from Johnny Brady, Mike Denver, Claudia Buckley and more. Tickets available from Sligo Jazz 2025 Sligo Jazz Project's annual Summer School and Festival runs from 22-27 July 2025, bringing a team of 33 world-class musicians from all over the world to teach and perform in Sligo. Sligo will become a global hub for music lovers, students, and jazz legends, as it hosts Europe's largest and most inclusive Jazz Summer School alongside its internationally renowned Jazz Festival. See for more South Sligo Summer School South Sligo Summer School continues in Tubbercurry until this Saturday, July 19. Classes and workshops continue, and there will be lots of live music and dancing throughout the remainder of the festival. Wipeout Wipeout Festival is taking place in Strandhill this Saturday July 19 from 1pm. The festival aims to promote new independently minded bands playing original music, giving them the platform to perform at an outdoor festival on the grounds of the National Surf Centre in Strandhill. This free all day music festival features bands from Dublin and Belfast and of course Sligo. Brendan Kelly band Enjoy a night of fantastic live music with the Brendan Kelly Band at Lillie's Cocktail Bar Sligo! on Thursday July 17. Don't miss out on this opportunity to experience a memorable evening of great music. Tickets via eventbrite Aine Gordon Áine Gordon is a singer-songwriter based in Belfast. Her music blends melodic indie folk with narrative-driven lyrics, capturing everyday moments through themes of longing, resilience, and life's uncertainties. See her live at Brees Strandhill on Tuesday, July 22. Tickets via eventbrite. Lunchtime at the Well Lunchtime at the Well continues with a special performance from Jacinta Ní Chonghaile, Aidan Shannon and Enda McGreevy who will be performing at the Hawk's Well on Wednesday July 16 at 1:10pm. These events are free to attend (pay what you can). Rambling House Rambling House takes place at the Coleman Music Centre in Gurteen on Wednesday, July 16 from 8pm. The Rambling House Concerts are cherished events that celebrate Ireland's rich tradition of music, song, and storytelling. ADVERTISEMENT Sligo Stages Rally The FAAC Simply Automatic/Sligo Park Hotel Stages Rally takes place this Sunday, July 20. A full entry of 165 cars plus eight Dacia Sandero crews will leave Parc Fermé at Sligo Retail Park, Carraroe, at 9am on Sunday, with the first car due at the Connolly Cupra finish ramp at the Sligo Park Hotel from 5.30pm. International Chess Day Celebrate international chess day this Sunday, July 20 at Queen Maeve Square from 11am-5pm where there will be workshops, casual games and a mini-tournament. It's free to join.
North Wales Chronicle
20-06-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
Family of woman who died after drink-driver sped away from police ‘heartbroken'
Kitchen designer Lillie Clack, 22, of Morden, south London, was injured and died days after the crash in the early hours of Christmas Day 2021. She was among six people who squeezed into the overcrowded Mercedes driven by Charlie Hilton, 25, who was chased by police before the car hit a tree, flipped over and burst into flames. The friends had been enjoying a Winter Wonderland attraction in the West End and visited a pub in Morden before accepting a lift home from Hilton. Her mother Debbie Clack told the inquest at South London Coroner's Court: 'Lillie is always on my mind. Did Lillie suffer? I know that she would have been scared and wanted her mummy.' In her impact statement, she added: 'My heart splintered into a million pieces and Lillie is the only medication that can fix it.' Earlier she dabbed away tears as she sat looking at a large photograph of her daughter and details of Lillie's injuries were read, including complications of a head injury that was given as the cause of death in a post-mortem examination. Lillie hoped to have a family of her own one day and dreamed of creating a granny annex, telling her mother 'there is no other person I would let look after my children'. Ms Clack, who said she suffers from anxiety and depression, said: 'Living without Lillie is like living without air, some days are a struggle to breathe.' She said they would always say 'no matter what we did we would do it together, now Lillie is gone'. She remembered Lillie as beautiful and hardworking. During the lockdown, Lillie's workplace closed and she worked as a Sainsbury's delivery driver. In February 2023, Hilton was jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing Miss Clack's death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury, failing to stop when directed and driving above the alcohol limit. He was also disqualified from driving for five years after his release from prison. Hilton was travelling at over 100mph at some points in the chase, carried out an illegal U-turn and ran through a red light as passengers inside the car begged him to stop, the inquest has heard. Lillie's brother Michael said Christmas which is a time of joy for many families is now painful for theirs. In a statement read on his behalf, he said: 'I will never forgive Charlie Hilton for what he did to Lillie as he has ruined my life and the life of my family.' Like his mother, Mr Clack said he is also haunted by Lillie's last moments and mourning the happy times they had hoped to share one day. He said: 'What did she feel? How much pain was she in? How scared was she? These are all questions that will never be answered.' He said her death has had a 'massive impact upon my family and everyone around' and Christmas is treated as 'just another day' as it is the date the police came to the family's door to say she was injured. Hilton had been told by his passengers that a police vehicle had turned its blue lights on behind them and was indicating for him to stop. Instead, he sped up and was driving so fast that the passengers bumped their head on the roof of the car as they were chased by police. At one point Sergeant Alexander Gill said his police car was doing 90mph in a 40mph zone and Hilton's Mercedes was 'greatly getting away'. Police called off the chase, which lasted about three minutes, after losing sight of the Mercedes. Miss Clack's boyfriend Jack Watson and best friend Delia Casey were among those who were badly hurt. In a statement Mr Watson, who was in the back seat, remembered seeing police blue lights and sirens and described Hilton's driving as 'dangerous and quick' and thought he could 'easily lose control'. Mr Watson later recalled: 'I think I might have said 'Charlie what are you doing, why are you going so fast'. I think the girls were in shock.' He also remembered saying: 'Charlie, slow down. What are you doing? Let me and Lillie out.' He recalled Hilton telling him to shut up. Mr Watson does not remember the crash but does recall being pulled out on a stretcher and bleeding from his lip. He added: 'I remember asking 'where's Lillie?'. I remember being in an ambulance and blood on my jacket but I do not know where the blood came from. 'My clothing was cut off from me – and I knew then that it was bad.' In a statement, Miss Casey who was sitting on the front seat, said: 'Everyone was shouting inside the car. There was a lot going on and I was just feeling very fearful for everyone in the car. 'The speed we were going at made me feel terrified. 'It feels like I was only in there for a few seconds. It feels like a blur.'
Glasgow Times
20-06-2025
- Glasgow Times
Family of woman who died after drink-driver sped away from police ‘heartbroken'
Kitchen designer Lillie Clack, 22, of Morden, south London, was injured and died days after the crash in the early hours of Christmas Day 2021. She was among six people who squeezed into the overcrowded Mercedes driven by Charlie Hilton, 25, who was chased by police before the car hit a tree, flipped over and burst into flames. The friends had been enjoying a Winter Wonderland attraction in the West End and visited a pub in Morden before accepting a lift home from Hilton. Her mother Debbie Clack told the inquest at South London Coroner's Court: 'Lillie is always on my mind. Did Lillie suffer? I know that she would have been scared and wanted her mummy.' In her impact statement, she added: 'My heart splintered into a million pieces and Lillie is the only medication that can fix it.' Earlier she dabbed away tears as she sat looking at a large photograph of her daughter and details of Lillie's injuries were read, including complications of a head injury that was given as the cause of death in a post-mortem examination. Lillie hoped to have a family of her own one day and dreamed of creating a granny annex, telling her mother 'there is no other person I would let look after my children'. Ms Clack, who said she suffers from anxiety and depression, said: 'Living without Lillie is like living without air, some days are a struggle to breathe.' She said they would always say 'no matter what we did we would do it together, now Lillie is gone'. She remembered Lillie as beautiful and hardworking. During the lockdown, Lillie's workplace closed and she worked as a Sainsbury's delivery driver. Lillie Clack, 22, was among six people who squeezed into a Mercedes driven by Charlie Hilton who was chased by police before the car hit a tree ( In February 2023, Hilton was jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing Miss Clack's death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury, failing to stop when directed and driving above the alcohol limit. He was also disqualified from driving for five years after his release from prison. Hilton was travelling at over 100mph at some points in the chase, carried out an illegal U-turn and ran through a red light as passengers inside the car begged him to stop, the inquest has heard. Lillie's brother Michael said Christmas which is a time of joy for many families is now painful for theirs. In a statement read on his behalf, he said: 'I will never forgive Charlie Hilton for what he did to Lillie as he has ruined my life and the life of my family.' Like his mother, Mr Clack said he is also haunted by Lillie's last moments and mourning the happy times they had hoped to share one day. He said: 'What did she feel? How much pain was she in? How scared was she? These are all questions that will never be answered.' He said her death has had a 'massive impact upon my family and everyone around' and Christmas is treated as 'just another day' as it is the date the police came to the family's door to say she was injured. Lillie was remembered as 'beautiful' and 'hardworking' with dreams of one day becoming a mother ( Hilton had been told by his passengers that a police vehicle had turned its blue lights on behind them and was indicating for him to stop. Instead, he sped up and was driving so fast that the passengers bumped their head on the roof of the car as they were chased by police. At one point Sergeant Alexander Gill said his police car was doing 90mph in a 40mph zone and Hilton's Mercedes was 'greatly getting away'. Police called off the chase, which lasted about three minutes, after losing sight of the Mercedes. Miss Clack's boyfriend Jack Watson and best friend Delia Casey were among those who were badly hurt. In a statement Mr Watson, who was in the back seat, remembered seeing police blue lights and sirens and described Hilton's driving as 'dangerous and quick' and thought he could 'easily lose control'. Mr Watson later recalled: 'I think I might have said 'Charlie what are you doing, why are you going so fast'. I think the girls were in shock.' He also remembered saying: 'Charlie, slow down. What are you doing? Let me and Lillie out.' He recalled Hilton telling him to shut up. Mr Watson does not remember the crash but does recall being pulled out on a stretcher and bleeding from his lip. He added: 'I remember asking 'where's Lillie?'. I remember being in an ambulance and blood on my jacket but I do not know where the blood came from. 'My clothing was cut off from me – and I knew then that it was bad.' In a statement, Miss Casey who was sitting on the front seat, said: 'Everyone was shouting inside the car. There was a lot going on and I was just feeling very fearful for everyone in the car. 'The speed we were going at made me feel terrified. 'It feels like I was only in there for a few seconds. It feels like a blur.'
South Wales Guardian
20-06-2025
- South Wales Guardian
Woman who died after drink-driver fled police unlawfully killed, inquest finds
The call was made by Debbie Clack on Friday after a coroner ruled that her daughter Lillie, 22, who was injured and died days after the crash in the early hours of Christmas Day 2021, was unlawfully killed. The kitchen designer, of Morden, south London, was among six people who squeezed into the overcrowded Mercedes driven by Charlie Hilton, 25, who was chased by police before the car hit a tree, flipped over and burst into flames in Carshalton. Assistant coroner for London South, Sebastian Naughton, said the evidence showed Hilton's actions could be considered as gross negligence as he fled police reaching over 100mph at some points in the chase, carried out an illegal U-turn and ran a red a light as passengers inside the car begged him to stop. After the finding sitting at South London Coroner's Court, Lillie's mother said: 'Lillie went through a horrific ordeal and we are continuing to live through this every day.' She added: 'Hilton killed my daughter. 'He pleaded guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving while more than twice the legal alcohol limit, running from the police, refusing to stop, losing control of his car, and crashing into a tree. 'That crash caused a bleed on Lillie's brain. Damage so severe that her heart stopped beating three days later on December 28 2021. She was just 22. My baby girl. 'If going through today's pain means something changes, if it shines a light on what went wrong and stops even one other family from feeling this kind of grief, then it was worth it. 'It cannot be right that any driver involved in a fatal crash gets to go home still carrying their licence in their pocket. It is also the case that too often those convicted of injuring people by their dangerous driving can one day return to the road. 'What happened to Lillie, her family, friends and the whole community, has to mean something. We all need to believe that lessons will be learned.' She is calling for lifetime driving bans for anyone convicted of causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence and tougher penalties for dangerous drivers. The friends had been enjoying a Winter Wonderland attraction and visited a pub in Morden before accepting a lift home from Hilton. Residents in Beeches Avenue, Carshalton grabbed fire extinguishers and rushed to help after the crash. In February 2023, Hilton was jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing Miss Clack's death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury, failing to stop when directed and driving above the alcohol limit. The coroner suggested Hilton 'possibly knew he was in trouble due to the number of people in his vehicle', that the U-turn was 'practically inviting the police to pursue' and he would have known he was over the alcohol limit to drive. He 'made no effort to ascertain' if his passengers were wearing their seatbelts. The coroner said: 'Mr Hilton was properly directed to stop by police and decided not to so. 'He decided to evade capture and drove at high speeds before the collision occurred.' In his findings the coroner said: 'Despite repeated requests from passengers throughout the pursuit to slow down or stop, the driver of the Mercedes would not stop or slow down after the police were no longer in pursuit of the Mercedes.' The Mercedes was travelling at approximately 70mph – in a 30mph speed zone – just seconds before the car went over a raised pedestrian crossing. The coroner said: 'The driver of the Mercedes lost control of the vehicle, was weaving before striking kerbs on both sides of the road and leaving the carriageway, striking a tree and the Mercedes. 'Lillie sustained serious chest and head injuries in the collision. 'Due to the severity of her injuries there was no possible surgical intervention. Lillie deteriorated and died on 28 December 2021. 'It is not possible to say if her injuries could have been mitigated if her seatbelt had been fastened.' Complications of a head injury was given as the cause of death in a post-mortem examination. Hilton had been told by his passengers that a police vehicle had turned its blue lights on behind them and was indicating for him to stop, the inquest heard. Instead, he sped up and was driving so fast that the passengers bumped their head on the roof of the car as they were chased by police. At one point Sergeant Alexander Gill said his police car was doing 90mph in a 40mph zone and Hilton's Mercedes was 'greatly getting away'. Police called off the chase, which lasted about three-and-a-half minutes, after losing sight of the Mercedes. Miss Clack's boyfriend Jack Watson and best friend Delia Casey were among those who were badly hurt. In a statement Mr Watson, who was in the back seat, remembered seeing police blue lights and sirens and described Hilton's driving as 'dangerous and quick' and thought he could 'easily lose control'. Mr Watson later recalled: 'I think I might have said 'Charlie what are you doing, why are you going so fast'. I think the girls were in shock.' He also remembered saying: 'Charlie, slow down. What are you doing? Let me and Lillie out.' He recalled Hilton telling him to shut up. Mr Watson does not remember the crash but does recall being pulled out on a stretcher and bleeding from his lip. He added: 'I remember asking 'where's Lillie?'. I remember being in an ambulance and blood on my jacket but I do not know where the blood came from. 'My clothing was cut off from me – and I knew then that it was bad.'
South Wales Argus
20-06-2025
- South Wales Argus
Woman who died after drink-driver fled police unlawfully killed, inquest finds
The call was made by Debbie Clack on Friday after a coroner ruled that her daughter Lillie, 22, who was injured and died days after the crash in the early hours of Christmas Day 2021, was unlawfully killed. The kitchen designer, of Morden, south London, was among six people who squeezed into the overcrowded Mercedes driven by Charlie Hilton, 25, who was chased by police before the car hit a tree, flipped over and burst into flames in Carshalton. Assistant coroner for London South, Sebastian Naughton, said the evidence showed Hilton's actions could be considered as gross negligence as he fled police reaching over 100mph at some points in the chase, carried out an illegal U-turn and ran a red a light as passengers inside the car begged him to stop. After the finding sitting at South London Coroner's Court, Lillie's mother said: 'Lillie went through a horrific ordeal and we are continuing to live through this every day.' She added: 'Hilton killed my daughter. 'He pleaded guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving while more than twice the legal alcohol limit, running from the police, refusing to stop, losing control of his car, and crashing into a tree. 'That crash caused a bleed on Lillie's brain. Damage so severe that her heart stopped beating three days later on December 28 2021. She was just 22. My baby girl. 'If going through today's pain means something changes, if it shines a light on what went wrong and stops even one other family from feeling this kind of grief, then it was worth it. 'It cannot be right that any driver involved in a fatal crash gets to go home still carrying their licence in their pocket. It is also the case that too often those convicted of injuring people by their dangerous driving can one day return to the road. 'What happened to Lillie, her family, friends and the whole community, has to mean something. We all need to believe that lessons will be learned.' She is calling for lifetime driving bans for anyone convicted of causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence and tougher penalties for dangerous drivers. The friends had been enjoying a Winter Wonderland attraction and visited a pub in Morden before accepting a lift home from Hilton. Residents in Beeches Avenue, Carshalton grabbed fire extinguishers and rushed to help after the crash. In February 2023, Hilton was jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing Miss Clack's death by dangerous driving, three counts of causing serious injury, failing to stop when directed and driving above the alcohol limit. The coroner suggested Hilton 'possibly knew he was in trouble due to the number of people in his vehicle', that the U-turn was 'practically inviting the police to pursue' and he would have known he was over the alcohol limit to drive. He 'made no effort to ascertain' if his passengers were wearing their seatbelts. The coroner said: 'Mr Hilton was properly directed to stop by police and decided not to so. 'He decided to evade capture and drove at high speeds before the collision occurred.' In his findings the coroner said: 'Despite repeated requests from passengers throughout the pursuit to slow down or stop, the driver of the Mercedes would not stop or slow down after the police were no longer in pursuit of the Mercedes.' Lillie Clack, 22, was described as 'beautiful and hardworking' (( The Mercedes was travelling at approximately 70mph – in a 30mph speed zone – just seconds before the car went over a raised pedestrian crossing. The coroner said: 'The driver of the Mercedes lost control of the vehicle, was weaving before striking kerbs on both sides of the road and leaving the carriageway, striking a tree and the Mercedes. 'Lillie sustained serious chest and head injuries in the collision. 'Due to the severity of her injuries there was no possible surgical intervention. Lillie deteriorated and died on 28 December 2021. 'It is not possible to say if her injuries could have been mitigated if her seatbelt had been fastened.' Complications of a head injury was given as the cause of death in a post-mortem examination. Hilton had been told by his passengers that a police vehicle had turned its blue lights on behind them and was indicating for him to stop, the inquest heard. Instead, he sped up and was driving so fast that the passengers bumped their head on the roof of the car as they were chased by police. At one point Sergeant Alexander Gill said his police car was doing 90mph in a 40mph zone and Hilton's Mercedes was 'greatly getting away'. Police called off the chase, which lasted about three-and-a-half minutes, after losing sight of the Mercedes. Miss Clack's boyfriend Jack Watson and best friend Delia Casey were among those who were badly hurt. In a statement Mr Watson, who was in the back seat, remembered seeing police blue lights and sirens and described Hilton's driving as 'dangerous and quick' and thought he could 'easily lose control'. Mr Watson later recalled: 'I think I might have said 'Charlie what are you doing, why are you going so fast'. I think the girls were in shock.' He also remembered saying: 'Charlie, slow down. What are you doing? Let me and Lillie out.' He recalled Hilton telling him to shut up. Mr Watson does not remember the crash but does recall being pulled out on a stretcher and bleeding from his lip. He added: 'I remember asking 'where's Lillie?'. I remember being in an ambulance and blood on my jacket but I do not know where the blood came from. 'My clothing was cut off from me – and I knew then that it was bad.'
