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Coventry hit-and-run deaths: Man guilty of causing boys' deaths | Coventry hit-and-run deaths: Man guilty of causing boys' deaths |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A man has admitted causing the deaths of two young brothers in a hit-and-run crash in Coventry last month. | A man has admitted causing the deaths of two young brothers in a hit-and-run crash in Coventry last month. |
Corey, six, and Casper Platt-May, two, were on a family trip to the park when they were hit by Robert Brown's car. | Corey, six, and Casper Platt-May, two, were on a family trip to the park when they were hit by Robert Brown's car. |
Brown, 53, of Attwood Crescent, Wyken, admitted causing the deaths by dangerous driving on 22 February. | Brown, 53, of Attwood Crescent, Wyken, admitted causing the deaths by dangerous driving on 22 February. |
The court heard he had previously been jailed for possessing a machete and had been let out on licence just six days before the crash. | |
Corey and Casper had been with a group of up to nine children crossing Macdonald Road in the Stoke area of the city at about 14:00 GMT when Brown's Ford Focus ploughed into them. | |
Both boys were taken to hospital with severe injuries but neither could be saved. Their mother, who had been with them at the time, was unhurt. | Both boys were taken to hospital with severe injuries but neither could be saved. Their mother, who had been with them at the time, was unhurt. |
The court heard Brown - and his passenger, Gwendoline Harrison - tried to flee the scene on foot but members of the public attempted to stop them. | |
Harrison, 42, hit a someone who intervened and admitted a charge of assault intending to resist arrest. | |
The judge adjourned sentencing until 27 April and remanded Brown in custody until then. | |
Tyrone Smith QC, defending, said the presiding judge would need to watch "troubling" CCTV footage before deciding on a punishment. | Tyrone Smith QC, defending, said the presiding judge would need to watch "troubling" CCTV footage before deciding on a punishment. |
The court heard Brown had been jailed for six months in November for possessing an offensive weapon and was released on licence less than a week before the crash. | |
One of Brown's release conditions was not to contact Harrison, of Triumph Close, also in Wyken, while on licence. | |
On Monday, Brown admitted all charges, including two counts of death by dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, using a motor vehicle without insurance and using a motor vehicle without a licence. | |
The prosecution said it would offer no evidence on Harrison's second alleged offence of perverting the course of justice. | |
A donation page set up to help the boys' family cover funeral costs has amassed more than £26,000 following donations from more than 1,500 supporters. | |
Louise Platt-May said earlier this month on Facebook she could not bring herself to talk about what happened to her sons, but that she was "overwhelmed" by the community's help. | |
Previously she had described Corey as loving "school more than any kid I know" but said his "main passion in life was his football". | Previously she had described Corey as loving "school more than any kid I know" but said his "main passion in life was his football". |
Casper "was so loving and caring and constantly told his family how much he loved them," his mother said. | Casper "was so loving and caring and constantly told his family how much he loved them," his mother said. |
She said: "He loved walking everywhere with his wellies and splashing in the puddles." | She said: "He loved walking everywhere with his wellies and splashing in the puddles." |
Rob Matthews, head of Ravensdale Primary School where Corey went, described them as "lovely boys", adding that Corey "lit up the room he was in with his energy". | Rob Matthews, head of Ravensdale Primary School where Corey went, described them as "lovely boys", adding that Corey "lit up the room he was in with his energy". |
The boys also have two brothers, aged eight and four. | The boys also have two brothers, aged eight and four. |