Neighbours shopped hit-and-run driver

Christopher Collins, aged 45, was sentenced to another four months in prison by Doncaster magistrates yesterday after the court heard the banned motorist had climbed back into his car to drive after his early release from jail.

Collins served only five weeks of a five-month sentence for the collision which killed Kyle in September last year.

But a neighbour saw him driving again despite having been banned from the roads until 2012.

Collins had driven his Vauxhall Corsa for three-quarters of a mile so he could offer it for sale. Today he is back behind bars, and has had his 3,000 car confiscated by the court.

He appeared before Doncaster Deputy District Judge Tan Ikram and pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified last Friday in Basil Avenue, Armthorpe, where he has lived since being released from Doncaster Prison.

Kyle’s mum Katy McDermott said after the case she was “disgusted” by Collins’ actions so soon after he had been freed.

She said: “It’s a joke really but I am relieved he’s behind bars again. It’s absolutely disgusting that he got behind the wheel again so soon.”

Collins was caught by police last Friday morning after they carried out observations near his home following a tip-off from a local resident.

Ged Hale, defending, said Collins had made only a very short journey of three-quarters of a mile to collect his car because he was hoping to sell it that day.

He said: “It is the only liquid asset at his disposal because of the loss of his employment. Depression set in after his incarceration so he has not been able to seek employment.”

Kyle’s mother and several friends were in court to see Collins in the dock again and they said they could not believe he had shown so little remorse for causing Kyle’s death.

Kyle was riding his bike after school near his grandparents’ house in Maple Road, Mexborough, when he was hit by Collins’ works van.

But instead of stopping, Collins drove off and went to great lengths to cover his tracks to evade detection before police tracked him down.

He still denied his involvement until the day of his trial when he suddenly changed his plea to guilty.