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Man City's Courtney Meppen-Walter jailed for death crash | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Manchester City footballer who caused the death of two people in a car crash has been jailed for 16 months. | A Manchester City footballer who caused the death of two people in a car crash has been jailed for 16 months. |
Courtney Meppen-Walter killed Kulwant Singh and Ravel-Kaur Singh when his Mercedes hit their car, last September. | Courtney Meppen-Walter killed Kulwant Singh and Ravel-Kaur Singh when his Mercedes hit their car, last September. |
Manchester Crown Court heard he was driving at up to twice the 30mph limit in central Manchester, at the time. | Manchester Crown Court heard he was driving at up to twice the 30mph limit in central Manchester, at the time. |
Meppen-Walter, 18, of Middleton Road, Blackley, who admitted causing death by careless driving, was also banned from driving for three years. | Meppen-Walter, 18, of Middleton Road, Blackley, who admitted causing death by careless driving, was also banned from driving for three years. |
'Orphaned sons' | |
He has not played for Manchester City's first team but has captained the England under-18 squad. | |
The court was told Mr Singh, 32, and Ms Singh, 37, had been sitting in the front a Nissan Micra when it was struck by Meppen-Walter's in his grandfather's Mercedes C220 saloon, on at 22:15 BST on 1 September. | |
They had been emerging from a side street when the crash happened, at the junction of Great Ducie Street and Sherborne Street. | They had been emerging from a side street when the crash happened, at the junction of Great Ducie Street and Sherborne Street. |
Police said Ms Singh's 16 and 17-year-old sons, who were in the back of the Micra and injured in the collision, were "making a good recovery". The pair are now orphans as their father was killed in Afghanistan. | |
The court heard that moments before the crash, the defendant had been "jockeying" and "playing games" with a friend in a VW Golf along a nearby dual carriageway. | |
Taliban persecution | |
Meppen-Walter jumped out of his car and tried to help the injured, waving his arms and saying: "What have I done?" | |
The defendant, who has played 17 times for his country, is expected to serve half his sentence - eight months - in custody but may be released earlier on an electronic tag. | |
Mr Singh's widow sat in the public gallery, with an interpreter relaying the proceedings, and wiped away tears during the hearing. | |
The crash victims came to the UK in 2001 to start a new life after fleeing persecution by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the court heard. | |
Meppen-Walter had one previous conviction for speeding - again doing 56mph in a 30mph zone. | |
A statement from Manchester City said the club sent its "heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of Mr Kulwant Singh and Ms Ravel-Kaur Singh, in what was a devastating tragedy for them and the Greater Manchester community at large". |