A drug driver was filmed inhaling ‘hippy crack’ at the wheel moments before killing his teenage cousin in a crash.

23-year-old Cameron Hughes was recorded inhaling a balloon filled with nitrous oxide and looking at his phone during the drive on July 7.

Nitrous oxide is also known as laughing gas or hippy crack, and will be classified as a class C drug from next week.

Hughes, who worked as a courier, was taking his ‘bubbly’ 15-year-old cousin Bonny Barrow from Manchester to Great Harwood for a family dinner.

But during the drive his vehicle, a Mercedes Sprinter, was involved in ‘numerous close calls’ before he failed to make a left-hand turn at a slip road and the van crashed into a ravine.

Hughes was thrown from the van and only suffered minor injuries, but Bonny was seriously injured and died in hospital the next day.

He appeared at Preston crown court yesterday where he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

He was also banned from driving for eight years and nine months.

In an emotional tribute, Bonny’s mum said he had denied her daughter the chance to ‘fully blossom’ and become a ‘beautiful young woman’.

She said: ‘Bonny was an amazing daughter who was kind, loving and always wanted to spend time with her family and friends.

‘She loved doing all the things that teenagers do especially dancing, singing, shopping and making TikTok videos that we treasure.

‘We cherish the memories of her and the joy she brought us for the 15 years that she was in our lives. We all miss her so much and would do anything to have her back.

‘Cameron had one job that day – to get Bonny home to us safely.

‘But he made dangerous choices that led to her death and cost us the chance to watch her fully blossom in to the beautiful young woman she was becoming.

‘Bonny – I am so proud to be your mum. The love and laughter that you brought in to our lives can never be replaced.

‘And even though we are now apart, my hand is always held out if you ever need to hold it.’

Speaking after the sentencing, Sergeant Laura Kendall said: ‘Bonny was a much-loved bubbly teenager whose life has been cruelly taken away.

‘My heart goes out to her family and friends who have been so affected by her tragic loss.

‘Cameron Hughes is entirely responsible for what happened that day in July.

‘He chose to take nitrous oxide while driving, to use his mobile phone at the wheel and to drive dangerously.

‘These avoidable actions led to the devastating collision that caused the death of Bonny.’

Sgt Matt Davidson added: ‘Too often we see the aftermath of drivers under the influence of nitrous oxide.

‘It is seen by many to be a harmless drug but as shown here, the consequences of misusing it can be fatal.

‘On November 8, nitrous oxide will become a controlled Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

‘We welcome this news in the hope that it deters this dangerous behaviour and prevents other families having to go through what Bonny’s are.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.