Jail sentence for quad bike driver

12/10/2006

A disqualified driver who caused the death of a three year old girl after taking her for a ride on a quad bike has today been sentenced to four years imprisonment at Derby Crown Court.

He also received seven years disqualification, and will have to take an extended driving test.

Stephen Connell pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving whilst the proportion of alcohol in his blood exceeded the prescribed limit.

On 16 June Connell was at the Anchor public house with family and friends when he took Kelcey Kirkham out on her father's quad bike.  Despite being over the legal drink drive limit he took the bike out onto the public road where it was in collision with another vehicle.  Kelcey was thrown out from the front of the bike, struck the car and then the road.  She died from her injuries.

Anna Zimand, Head of the Trials Unit at Derbyshire Crown Prosecution Service was the lawyer responsible for presenting the prosecution case.  Speaking after the sentencing she said:  "This has been an upsetting case for everyone involved on the Prosecution team.  Kelceys death was all the more tragic in that it was entirely avoidable, and only occurred as a direct result of the actions of Stephen Connell.

"Not only was Connell already disqualified from driving, he drove the quad bike on a public road after drinking a significant amount of alcohol - his blood alcohol reading was almost one and a half times over the prescribed legal limit.  His decision to take the bike onto the road in these circumstances had devastating consequences and will hopefully serve as a warning to anyone who thinks quad bikes are simply a bit of fun and can be treated differently to any other vehicle driven on a public road.

"Our thoughts are with Kelceys family at this difficult time."