A 21-YEAR-OLD man has today been jailed for conspiring to pervert the course of justice after the death of a young Quarry Bank woman who fell from a car bonnet.

Ross Bingham has been sentenced to four months in prison after admitting the charge following the tragic death of Ellie Underhill, aged 20, who suffered massive head injuries when she fell from the bonnet of a Vauxhall Corsa which was being driven around the Tesco Extra car park in Dudley on Boxing Day 2016 at speeds of up to 25mph.

Stoke on Trent Crown Court was told Ellie, who died days later on January 3 2017, suffered extensive skull fractures and was bleeding heavily after the incident but Stourbridge teenagers Luke Hickman and Elly Phillips, together with Ross Bingham, from Birmingham, did not take her to hospital until around an hour after the tragedy – and they pretended to medics that she had fallen over while drunk.

Hickman, aged 19, of Wassell Road, Wollescote, (pictured below) who had been driving the car, was yesterday sentenced to seven years and ten months in a young offenders’ institution after admitting causing the death of Ellie by dangerous driving, as well as conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and an additional unrelated dangerous driving matter.

Stourbridge News:

Nineteen-year-old Phillips, of Seymour Road, Wollescote, was also sent to a young offenders’ institution for her involvement. The court was told she was seen slapping Ellie and pouring Coca-Cola on her after she was flung to the floor – to try and wake her up. She was given a six-month spell behind bars after admitting conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The sentencing of Bingham, of Hagley Road, Edgbaston, was delayed until today (Wednesday).

The court was told the friends had been to an Indian restaurant to celebrate the birthday of Phillips before going to buy alcohol from an off-licence shortly before the tragedy.

Judge Glenn said Hickman only had a provisional driving licence and Ellie had been hanging onto the car bonnet as he drove at around 25mph and she subsequently fell off, at a speed calculated to be 15mph, after the vehicle took a sharp left turn and braked.

Prosecutor Robert Price told the court: “In a moment of utter madness he performed a manoeuvre that was dangerous where he drove around the car park with Ellie clinging on the bonnet and whose only means to stay on was to cling on with her bare hands.”

He said Ellie landed heavily on her head as she fell and he added Elly Phillips was seen slapping her in the face and pouring Coca-Cola over her to try and get a response.

Mr Price added: "They got her in the car with difficulty, she had been sick and was bleeding from the nose."

He said on arrival at Russells Hall Hospital the group "lied to medical staff about what had happened" - adding: "At no stage was any healthcare professional told she was in a car accident."

Hickman's girlfriend Hana Edwards, aged 19, of Grove Road, Wollescote, was not present at the time but admitted sending a text message to the others - urging them to delete film footage from the night.

She also admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and was given an 18-month community order with 150 hours unpaid work requirement.

Miss Underhill’s family said after the tragedy that they were “totally devastated” by Ellie’s untimely death and in a statement released by police yesterday they said they had waited since December 26 2016 to find out the truth of what happened – adding: “The actions and lies of those involved are unforgivable and no family should ever have to go through this.”