Death crash man breached ASBOs

Date published: 23 September 2009


A DRIVER who died after crashing a stolen car into a lamp post had repeatedly broken an ASBO.

Matthew Fricker suffered fatal injures in the smash in Oldham Road, Denshaw, on his 20th birthday.

His two passengers were hurt when the Nissan Micra flipped on to its side during a police pursuit on Saturday. A 17-year-old boy remains in hospital with a broken leg and a 15-year-old boy has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of burglary.

A traffic officer spotted the stolen Nissan Micra in Ripponden Road, Denshaw, at about 2.10am.

It did a U-turn, sped off and crashed opposite the Printer’s Arms car park. Two people were cut free from the wreckage.

Mr Fricker, of Clarence Street, Heyside, died in hospital on Monday.

In January, 2005, he was given a three-year ASBO after riding his bike into shops, knocking over displays and running into people.

He was banned from his old haunts, congregating with groups of more than three people, mixing with 13 named associates and wearing hooded clothing.

But in 2006 he was given a 12-month detention and training order after he broke into a house.

Judge Craig Osborne slammed the way in which he had been dealt with by Oldham Magistrates who had let him off eight times with absolute discharges or supervision orders for breaching his ASBO.

Mr Fricker’s criminal record included theft, shoplifting and motor vehicle offences.

The judge told him: “It is an extraordinary way of dealing with a breach of ASBO and you have been dealt with in a very lenient way.”

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is reviewing Saturday’s incident.

The traffic officer has been suspended from driving duties in line with police policy.