16,000 calls for hit and run justice

The McDermott family are calling for tougher sentences for hit-and-run drivers and improved safety on the road where young Kyle was killed in September last year.

Christopher Collins, aged 45, who has two previous convictions for drink-driving received just a five month sentence at Sheffield Crown Court, after hitting Kyle on Maple Road in Mexborough and driving off.

Shortly after his hearing, Kyle’s mother Katy McDermott wrote Collins an open letter saying: “My life ended the day he died. And nothing will ever, ever be the same for any of this family.

“In a few short minutes last September, you destroyed me and my parents by robbing us of the one thing we loved most.”

The family have now handed their petition to Mexborough and Barnsley East MP Jeff Ennis, who promised the family to present it to Parliament himself.

He added: “I have followed this campaign from its early days and have great sympathy for the family.”

Mrs McDermott has thrown her weight behind road safety charity Brake’s campaigns to have the minimum sentence for hit-and-run drivers increased to 14 years and for more 20mph speed limits to be introduced on suburban roads.

She said: “There are so many young children who are vulnerable on the roads nowadays. There should be stricter measures taken by the courts in situations like this to protect them.

“After what happened to Kyle I just want to do all I can to stop this happening to someone else.”