Family forgive driver who left boy, 7, to die in road as he avoids prison

The family of a boy who was hit by a van and left dying in the road “like an animal” have said they have forgiven the driver as he was handed a suspended prison sentence.

Seven-year-old William Brown was struck by Stewart Powell’s grey Peugeot van, throwing him into the path of another car, on 6 December last year.

Powell saw William lying in the road but “panicked” and fled the scene, Folkestone Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday.

The 49-year-old drove a short distance and saw CPR being carried out on William before he left, said prosecutor Julie Farbrace.

William died at the scene on the A259 Sandgate Esplanade near its junction with Prospect Road in Folkestone, Kent.

Powell called the police the next day, telling officers “the whole f****** thing just stressed me out” as he described how William had run out in front of him, the court heard.

The father-of-two appeared emotional as William’s parents read statements in court on the devastating loss of their son.

Powell, of St Mary’s Bay, who pleaded guilty to failing to stop at the scene of the accident and driving without valid insurance, was sentenced to 14 weeks’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months.

He was also made the subject of a curfew and banned from driving for a year.

‘He made a conscious decision to leave him’

William’s mother Laura Brown said Powell left her son in the road “like an animal” and added he “deserved better”.

“Stewart stood watching the catastrophic incident unfold. He made a conscious decision to get back into his van and leave him,” she said.

“That behaviour is simply inhumane.

“We had to deal with the hammer blow someone hit him and left the scene.

“The not knowing who killed William tortured my mind. I was begging the van driver to come forward.

“Stewart’s actions prolonged suffering we were already enduring.”

‘I know William would forgive you’

William Brown Snr addressed Powell directly in court, saying: “It was cowardly not to stop and keep driving, Stewart.”

But he said: “I know William would forgive Stewart… I forgive you, Stewart, I give your family peace and restoration.”

He said his son should not have been in the road, and the accident “could have happened to anyone”.

“I hope we can all consider road safety a priority moving forward… so William’s life is not wasted,” he added.

Speaking outside court after Powell was sentenced, Ms Brown said she believed because of aggravating factors the case “possibly should have been dealt with at crown court”.

She continued: “We do forgive Stewart because we want to move on with our lives.

“We’re hoping we can work together in the future… make a change. That’s what we really want to do, make Will’s life noted, make change for future people.”

She is campaigning for a change in the law to make hit-and-runs where someone dies a maximum life imprisonment offence.

The online petition on Change.org has so far gained more than 8,500 signatures.

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‘Beautiful, fun-loving little boy’

Ms Brown described William as a “beautiful, kind, really sweet fun-loving little boy”.

“He would have forgave Stewart, like his dad said, he’s a good boy,” she told reporters.

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Defending Powell, Adrienne Wright said Powell’s behaviour was out of character for him and it was “sheer panic”, not being able to handle what was going on in front of his eyes.

“Not a moment passes that he does not regret his decision,” she said.

Sentencing Powell, District Judge Claire Loxford said: “Your punishment will go far beyond the sentence I impose on you this morning.

“By leaving the scene you denied police the opportunity to investigate other offences, having accepted being a cannabis user at the time, and having used cannabis that day.”

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