Footballer admits car death charges

11:56am Monday 6th October 2008

A professional footballer has admitted causing the deaths of two young boys who were killed in a motorway crash.

Former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick pleaded guilty to causing the deaths of Arron Peak, 10, and his brother Ben, eight, by dangerous driving.

The 25-year-old also admitted a charge of driving with excess alcohol when he appeared before Judge Paul Glenn at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

The brothers, from Partington in Manchester, were killed when McCormick's black Range Rover ploughed into their car on the M6 in Staffordshire shortly before 5.45am on June 7.

McCormick was driving home from a team-mate's wedding.

The boys were on their way to the Silverstone racetrack for a day out.

They were travelling in a Toyota Previa people carrier with their father Phil Peak and three friends.

Mr Peak, 37, was at the wheel and was seriously injured in the crash.

Coventry-born McCormick, who was confronted by angry relatives of Ben and Arron when he arrived at court on Monday, is a former England youth international and was twice voted Argyle's young player of the season.

His contract with Argyle was cancelled by "mutual consent" a month after the crash.