Van driver who left boy, 7, to die in road ‘like an animal’ after smashing into him as he retrieved football avoids jail
A VAN driver who left a young boy to die in the road “like an animal” in a hit and run horror crash has avoided jail.
William Brown, seven, was collecting a football when he was mowed down in Folkestone, Kent, on December 6.
Stewart Powell, 49, had first struck the schoolboy with his Peugeot Expert van.
William’s body was then “propelled” into the path of a second vehicle that was being driven by a mum with her three kids inside.
Powell called 999 the following day, telling officers “the whole f****** thing just stressed me out” as he described how William ran out in front of him.
Powell today avoided jail after he admitted driving his van without third-party insurance and failing to stop at the scene of the accident.
He was instead handed a 14 week sentence suspended for 12 months.
William’s mother, Laura Brown, slammed Powell for leaving her son in the road “like an animal” and said that he “deserved better”.
She said in a powerful victim impact statement: “Stewart stood watching the catastrophic incident unfold. He made a conscious decision to get back into his van and leave him.
“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.”
While dad William Brown Snr added: “It was cowardly not to stop and keep driving, Stewart.”
But he continued: “I know William would forgive Stewart… I forgive you Stewart, I give your family peace and restoration.”
William had been playing with pals in his front garden when the football went over a wall.
Folkestone Magistrates’ Court heard the van driver hit William, saw he was “effectively dying” then sped off.
His mother Laura Brown and her partner were tragically in the kitchen at the time at the time of the horror.
Rebecca Clayton was driving a Red Citroen behind the van when the schoolboy was thrown into her path.
The mum reported hearing a “loud bang” and immediately left the car to check on William.
Prosecutor Dylan Bradshaw said Rebecca “checked William’s pulse but unfortunately couldn’t find one”.
An ambulance crew stuck in traffic also rushed to the scene but were unable to save William’s life.
Powell called police 24 hours later after seeing a heartbreaking appeal for information by the youngster’s parents.
He claimed William had “just ran out in front of him” and that he got “freaked out”.
After his arrest, Powell admitted he had smoked cannabis before the horror.
William’s mum Laura said previously: “I was hoping for more serious charges. And with the aggravating features I think it should have been dealt with at Crown Court.
“That’s why we’re hoping for change. We would like an amendment to the law which would allow cases like this to be elevated to the Crown Court.”
The mum also told how the family has bravely forgiven Powell despite his “very poor choices”.
She added: “We’re trying to navigate life without William. It’s really difficult. But we try to be positive and try and celebrate his life.”
