AN EX-FOOTBALLER who inhaled laughing gas smashed his BMW in 80mph crash that left his friend in a vegetative state.

Mason Thorton inhaled the banned substance while driving down the A19, before crashing his luxury car into a barrier on October 23, 2022.

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Harlan Moon, Thorton’s passenger was violently thrown out of the car and suffered a fractured skull and bleeding to his brain.

The 25-year-old has since been left in a vegetative state and needs 24-hour care.

The former footballer had four passengers in his car at the time of the incident.

They were leaving a party and were inhaling nitrous oxide in the car, which Thornton provided, the court heard.

On Wednesday, Harlan Moon’s parents, brother and sister attended Teesside Crown Court where Thorton was to be sentenced.

The court heard that the former Darlington FC player had met up with two girls who had been out celebrating a birthday in Stockton.

Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, explained that people were talking about “Smartwhips” and wanting to inhale nitrous oxide from balloons.

After being kicked out of a house party by the host due to the noise, the group of four got into Thorton’s car.

The ex-footballer later drove around the corner and gave all of them balloons filled with laughing gas.

You take a huge risk with not only your life, but the lives of others

Inspector Stephen Clyburn from Cleveland Police

One of the female passengers even took a video which showed Thorton inhaling the banned substance while at the wheel, according to the prosecutor.

Under the influence, Thorton was travelling at 80mph when he veered off the carriageway and crashed into an oncoming barrier.

The impact was so severe that the barrier was lifted off its stand and wrapped around his car.

Harlan, who is now in a vegetative state, sustained catastrophic injuries to the right side of his skull.

Surgeons had to remove part of his skull to relieve the pressure on his brain.

‘I fell asleep’

The court heard that a man, who had stopped to help, claimed he heard Thornton tell his friend: “I didn’t mean it. I fell asleep.”

Harlon now has to rely on others daily for every aspect of his care and has “no awareness of himself or of his environment,” according to Emma.

Investigators found 15 cylinders of the laughing gas in Thornton’s BMW.

Messages from the former footballer’s phone revealed that he had been selling the drug for at least two months.

Judge Jonathan Carroll told Thornton that “this was obviously so dangerous”.

He added that the 21-year-old had given “no explanation” for his actions.

Thorton was sentenced to 47 months in prison and banned from driving for five years, with the ban beginning upon his release.

After the sentencing, Inspector Stephen Clyburn from Cleveland Police, said: “Today has highlighted the tragic consequences of taking nitrous oxide whilst driving; a young man with his whole life ahead of him has been left with serious injuries and will now be in need of life-long care, changing his and his families’ lives forever.

“The aftermath of taking nitrous oxide, a class C drug, and driving can be catastrophic and I welcome the sentence handed to Mason Thornton today, though this is nothing compared to the life sentence Harlan and his family will now have to suffer.

“I hope this sends a clear message to others, particularly young drivers, that nitrous oxide is like any other drug and if you inhale it at the wheel you take a huge risk with not only your life, but the lives of others.”