Two “out of control” young men whose actions led to the drowning of their close friend have walked free from court.

Liam Beaumont, then 21, Liam Wallis, then 20, and Luke Clarke, 21, were so close they were known as the “Three Musketeers”, York Crown Court heard.

James Lake, prosecuting, said all three spent the evening of December 27, 2021, drinking in two pubs in Cawood.

Then they left with Mr Clarke as passenger in Beaumont’s Renault Clio and Wallis driving a van. CCTV showed the van on the wrong side of the road and the Clio driving too fast and clipping the kerb as they left the village.

Another motorist saw the two vehicles driving too fast for the rainy and misty conditions and too close together as they headed for Sherburn-in-Elmet on the B1222.

Exiting a shallow S-bend, the Clio spun out of control and crashed upside down in a flooded dyke just after the van had overtaken it. 

Beaumont and Mr Clarke were trapped underwater and despite the efforts of Wallis, a neighbour and the emergency services, Mr Clarke drowned. Beaumont was rescued.

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Mr Clarke’s mother Claire said in a personal statement: “Our lives will never be the same. We have lost our first born and pride and joy. He had got his whole life ahead of him.”

She also said she knew that Beaumont was “tortured every day” by the memory of that night and the family had a “lot of respect” for Wallis.

“We love them both dearly,” she said.

Mr Lake said Beaumont and Wallis were on community orders at the time of the crash for causing grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm to two people in a taxi queue in their home town.

Judge Simon Hickey told them the convictions showed the part drink was playing in their lives then. “You were out of control,” he said.

They had both been over the drink drive limit and should never have got behind the wheel on the night of the tragedy. But both had changed as a result of the death.

He suspended prison sentences on both after both pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while drink driving.

Carpet fitter Wallis, now 23, of Springfield Crescent, Darfield, Barnsley, also pleaded guilty to drink driving. He was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for 18 months on condition he does 20 days’ rehabilitative activities, 150 hours’ unpaid work and a 20-session rehabilitative course. He was banned from driving for three years.

Joiner Beaumont, now 24,  of Ancona Rose, Darfield, Barnsley, was given a 20-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months on condition he does 20 days’ rehabilitative activities with a 26-session rehabilitative course and 150 hours’ unpaid work. He was banned from driving for two and a half years.

Both must take an extended driving test before driving alone again.

Defence barrister Richard Wright KC for Beaumont said the mother’s comments about the 24-year-old were “humbling”. Beaumont was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. 

The three young men had planned to stay overnight at Cawood, but their spirits were high and they had changed their minds. 

For Wallis, Graham Parkin said he accepted his driving had contributed to the tragedy. Both lawyers said their clients were remorseful.