Man admits causing deaths of brothers in Coventry hit-and-run

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/26/man-admits-causing-deaths-of-brothers-in-coventry-hit-and-run

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A man killed two young brothers in a hit-and-run six days after being released from prison for possessing an 18in machete, a court has heard.

Robert Brown has admitted causing the deaths of Corey and Casper Platt-May, aged six and two, by dangerous driving on 22 February.

The two boys were with their mother in MacDonald Road, Coventry, at about 2pm when a Ford Focus driven by Brown ploughed into them.

The 53-year-old had been jailed for six months in November last year for possessing a machete on 12 September, and had been let out on licence six days before the collision.

The reason given for his lengthy sentence was a previous history of carrying offensive weapons. Brown had previously been convicted of wounding in 2014, and common assault and theft from a shop in 2016.

After the collision, the boys were taken to hospital with severe injuries, but Casper could not be revived and died a short time later. Corey was rushed into surgery but also later died. Their mother was unhurt.

At Warwick crown court Brown remained calm in the dock as he entered his guilty pleas. During a previous magistrates court appearance he had twice shouted “This is a fucking kangaroo court” and called the chairman of the bench a “fucking prick”.

Brown, of Wyken, Coventry, admitted all charges against him, including two counts of death by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, using a motor vehicle without insurance and using a motor vehicle without a licence.

His co-accused, Gwendoline Harrison, 42, who was a passenger in the car, admitted a charge of assault intending to resist arrest after she hit a member of the public as the pair tried to flee the scene.

The prosecution said they would offer no evidence on Harrison’s second alleged offence of perverting the course of justice.

At a previous hearing, a court heard that part of Brown’s release conditions was not to contact Harrison, also of Wyken, while on licence.

Adjourning sentencing until 27 April, the judge Anthony Potter told Brown: “I’m satisfied there’s good reason for adjournment in your case. In the meantime you will be remanded into custody.”

Tyrone Smith QC, defending, said the presiding sentencing judge would need to watch “troubling” CCTV footage before passing sentence. He said: “The mitigation I am likely to put forward is the plea.”

The victims’ mother, Louise Platt-May, paid tribute to her sons after the collision, describing them as “amazing” and “cheeky” boys who would be “deeply missed”.

She said: “Casper was a cheeky little boy, always getting into trouble and driving his brothers crazy. But he was so loving and caring and constantly told his family how much he loved them.

“Corey was an amazing boy. He never kept still, always had to be doing something and coming up with new ideas of things to do.”