A DRINK driver who killed a 12-year-old girl next to a school bus in a hit and run collision will learn his fate this afternoon.

Grandmother Kathleen Mitchell this morning told York Crown Court of the family’s grief at the death of her grand-daughter Kaitlin, a “happy go lucky” animal lover and keen horse rider who was the “life and soul” of her family home and who dreamt of being a vet.

Rachael Landin, prosecuting, said Sherburn High pupil Kaitlin was hit by Gary Smith’s Astra as he drove past the school bus from which she had just alighted on September 28, 2017 on her home street, West Acres in Byram at 3.30pm.

The bus driver got out to help her, other drivers stopped and pupils and pedestrians gathered round Kaitlin who had been fatally injured.

“All that was in absolute contrast to the actions of the defendant. The defendant didn’t wait, he didn’t stop his car, he didn’t call an ambulance,” she said.

Instead, in a car badly damaged on the driver’s side and pursued by a schoolchild, he drove off to Knottingley where he dumped it and called police at 3.44pm, claiming it had been stolen.

York Crown Court heard that Mrs Mitchell, hearing screaming, ran out of her house to see Kaitlin lying on the ground.

“I said ‘Are you all right, darling?’” the grandmother said in a statement read to the court. “She didn’t reply, she just looked up at me and her head went back and she lost consciousness.”

Ms Landin said Kaitlin never regained consciousness. She was rushed into intensive care at Leeds General Infirmary and died a few days later some hours after her life support was switched off.

Smith, formerly of West Acres, Byram and now of Summerfield Drive, Knottingley, pleaded guilty to causing death by drink driving, perverting the course of justice and drug driving.

He will be sentenced this afternoon.

Mrs Mitchell said Kaitlin was a “happy go lucky” tomboy who was the “life and soul” of the family home, which she filled with “noise and happiness”.

“I hate the driver involved in the collision,” she said. “He took her away from us. We would have thought differently if he had had the decency to stop at the scene. He has taken our much loved daughter, taken her from us and he couldn’t take the bother to see she got the attention she deserved.”

Ms Landin said police didn’t believe Smith’s story about the “stolen” car and arrested him at his home before 5.30pm. Tests revealed he had taken cocaine and was probably suffering the after effects, and that he was one and a half the drink drive limit.

Police were unable to establish his speed at the moment of the collision, but witnesses estimated he was driving at or under the 30 mph speed limit.

The bus driver Malcolm Barker noticed Smith’s car was very noisy as he drove past the stationary bus, which was a double decker and clearly marked as a school bus.

Smith would have known he should have taken care for children crossing the road behind it because he lived on the road and therefore was aware of the problems it could pose drivers, said Ms Landin.

In a letter to the judge, Smith wrote: “I cannot put it into words the shame I hold against myself because of this horrific event. My behaviour after the accident makes me ashamed and it is something I will never forgive myself for.”

For him, Kitty Taylor said since the accident he had stopped driving.  He had also started tackling his alcoholism and his partner had left him. He had also suffered a back injury in a work accident that had left him with permanent discomfort and pain. 

The case continues.