A teenager has been left traumatised after she saw her younger sister being knocked down at the hands of a dangerous speed driver. Courtney Ellis, 14 was tragically killed by Brandon Turton, 21 who run her down while he was driving through a 30mph zone doing racing speeds of up to 93mph in September 2020 as he raced his friend down the road.
The school girl from Haydock died instantly when she was hit by the Renault Megane on Blackbrook road in St Helens, Liverpool Crown Court heard. Courtney's mum, Angela, has revealed the impact the devastating incident has had on her older daughter Morgan as the sight of her younger sister being killed has taken a huge toll on her mental health, the Liverpool Echo reports.
She told the ECHO : "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. 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 feels that Turton's seven-year driving ban is 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.
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