A motorist who killed a six-year-old boy in a hit-and-run incident while driving at almost twice the speed limit will be sentenced today.
Peter Renshaw, 22, has admitted causing the death by dangerous driving of Owen Wightman, who was crossing a road near his home in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on June 18 last year.
Yesterday, at Leeds Crown Court, Renshaw also pleaded guilty to further charges of failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.
The court heard the defendant barely slowed down after the collision and, despite stopping shortly after to check damage to his car, took three days to turn himself in to West Yorkshire Police.
He told officers at the time he had no idea he had collided with a pedestrian and thought he may have hit a pothole.
But, yesterday, he admitted he failed to stop and report what really happened.
A court heard how Owen was struck by Renshaw’s Fiat Seicento car while out playing with a friend on Fishpond Lane, Kettlethorpe, Wakefield.
The court was told the speed of the Fiat in the 30mph limit was 57mph and Owen was carried 75ft (23 metres) down the road by the impact, which one witness said sounded like a gunshot.
Owen was hit a glancing blow by the car and he was struck by the front of the vehicle before being pushed onto the bonnet.
Judge Geoffrey Marson QC granted Renshaw bail but, referring to earlier comments about a probable jail sentence, he told him: “You know what you must expect tomorrow.”