A teenager was left suffering from PTSD after seeing her 14-year-old sister killed in front of her by a reckless driver. Courtney Ellis was hit and killed by Brandon Turton, who was driving as fast as 93mph in a 30mph zone.
It happened in September 2020 and a court heard last month that Courtney died instantly after being hit by the Renault Megane driven by Turton, 21. Now, Courtney's mum, Angela, has shared the impact that witnessing the horrific incident has taken on her older daughter Morgan.
She told told the LiverpoolECHO: "My oldest baby witnessed it and she suffers daily with PTSD symptoms and with her mental health, I wish I could take her pain away but I can't, I can only be there for her despite my daily pain and heartbreak too. I just want to do at least one important thing so that future families don't have to go through the same problem as me and my family."
Turton, of Borron Road in Newton-le-Willows, had been driving around the area "just for something to do" and met up with a silver Vauxhall Astra being driven by Oliver McIntosh in the car park of Tesco in Haydock, near St Helens, where Courtney was from. In the 15 minutes before the incident, the two cars "set off in convoy" and completed a high-speed circuit of nearby roads while "competing with each other".
Turton was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison, as well as a seven-year driving ban last month at Liverpool Crown Court. Angela said that Turton's seven-year driving ban was not enough and is campaigning for anyone who causes death by dangerous driving to receive a lifetime ban.
She said: "I don't want her death to have been for nothing. Imagine seeing the killer who is responsible for taking your child away from you in a horrific way driving around like nothing had happened, it's like rubbing it into my face. Driving is one of life's luxuries and it comes with rules and regulations, so if this is abused in this way then this luxury should be taken away from them for life.
"All I have left of my Courtney is a box of ashes, photos, her clothes, some of her hair, her handprint from the night she passed. I miss my girl so much and I really need to succeed in this for her if it's the only thing I can do for her and for me and my family and for future families that unfortunately may go through this too."
You can sign the petition to impose a lifetime ban on anyone convicted of causing death by dangerous driving by clicking here.
