Two supercar drivers involved in a crash which left their vehicles wrecked have been convicted of dangerous driving - after witnesses said they saw them driving 'racing-style' along roads.
On May 20 last year police were called to a crash involving a Ferrari 458 and a Porsche.
The driver of the Porsche, 27-year-old Henry Hibbs from Middlefield in Ollerton, suffered minor injuries.
But the driver of the Ferrari, 32-year-old Carl Hartley from Swadlincote in Derbyshire, had fled from the scene prior to the officer’s arrival.
Hartley, who later identified himself as being involved in the collision, said his brakes on the vehicle had failed and caused him to collide with the Porsche.
But an extensive investigation by officers into the circumstances surrounding the incident between Rotherham and Sheffield showed that wasn't the case.
The airbag unit from the Ferrari was shipped overseas where a professional was able to confirm at what speed the airbags in the vehicle were deployed - 68mph. The road that the cars collided on has a 50mph speed limit.
A collisions investigator carried out tests on the car to check for damage to the braking system - and no damage was found.
Within the investigation, officers appealed to the public for information and witnesses who had seen the cars earlier in the evening.
Numerous witnesses came forward, all highlighting the ‘dangerous’, ‘unsafe’ and ‘racing-style’ behaviour that the drivers had been showcasing across South Yorkshire.
Both vehicles were also captured on CCTV footage at various locations exceeding the speed limits of the road they were on.
Hartley pleaded guilty at at Sheffield Crown Court to dangerous driving.
Hibbs pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving, but was found guilty of the offence by a jury at the court after a week-long trial which ended on Tuesday, November 12.
Both men will appear before Sheffield Crown Court at a date to be fixed for sentencing.
Assistant police sergeant Rodney McEnery, who led the investigation said: “I would like to thank the members of the public who came forward and assisted us with this investigation. Your help and commitment to making South Yorkshire a safer place does not go unnoticed.”
He also stated that roads should not be used as racetracks and have speed limits for safety reasons.
He added: “Vehicles racing and travelling at speed are a dangerous combination, both drivers were extremely lucky that neither were seriously injured or caused injury to an innocent road user.”
