Hit and run immigrant's sentence reduced

A judge today called for tougher laws governing illegal drivers after being forced to reduce the sentence of an uninsured illegal immigrant who ran over and killed a nine-year-old boy.

Judge Anthony Thorpe said the public was "incredulous" at the maximum six-month sentence imposed on Algerian Kamel Kadri, whose car hit Callum Oakford on New Year's Day.

Due to a technicality, Judge Thorpe today cut Kadri's sentence from eight months to six - the maximum sentence for summary motoring offences.

Last Thursday, at Chichester Crown Court, the judge had jailed Kadri for 24 months, made up of eight months for failing to stop after an accident and for driving with no insurance, licence or

MoT, plus 16 months for using a false passport. Next day, the Crown Prosecution Service said the judge had exceeded his sentencing powers on the motoring offences, and that Kadri's sentence would have to be cut.

Today it was cut to a total of 22 months.

Kadri, 38, left Callum dying at the side of the A259 in Ferring, West Sussex. The boy had been trying to cross the dual carriageway with friends. Other drivers, who slowed to let the group cross, saw Kadri overtake them at speed, saying he appeared to be breaking the 50mph limit.

Kadri, whose application for asylum was rejected in 2002, fled the scene. He lied to police about his movements, but later admitted driving the car. He was arrested for causing death by dangerous driving but the CPS later said there was not enough evidence to prosecute him for that.

Today, Judge Thorpe said the courts were effectively ignoring the consequences of Kadri's driving, and called for new laws giving Crown Court judges more power to impose longer sentences on drivers who fail to stop after accidents.

He said: "I regard the short sentence I have been limited to as in no way commensurate with what you did. As the law stands, the results of your driving are in effect being ignored by a court. My hands are tied."

He said the maximum six months for failing to stop after an accident "clearly strikes the public as inadequate. In effect Parliament has decided the result of the accident which may be a fatality should be ignored.

"I have no doubt that the Home Secretary will have been made aware of the anguish of this family and their sense that the criminal justice system has failed them."

Outside court Callum's family vowed to campaign for tougher laws. His sister Kathryn Proudfoot said: "We are disgusted and confused."

CPS spokesman Nigel Creasy, head of the trials unit at Chichester, insisted there remained insufficient evidence to prosecute Kadri for causing death by dangerous driving. He added: "We regret the additional trauma today's hearing has had on the family."