Cavendish PressA company director who fatally ran over an eight-year-old girl on November 10, 2018, has now been jailed for more than three years.
Jon-Paul Caruana, 25, of Worsley, Salford, had been driving at 50mph in 30mph zone when he hit Emily Connor. Emily died at the scene despite efforts made to revive her.
Appearing before Manchester Crown Court, Caruna admitted to having caused death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. He has also been banned from driving for four years and eight months.
Cavendish PressFather-of-one Caruana had reportedly been severely frustrated about being held up in gridlocked traffic, ‘breaking speed barriers’ and looking ‘animated’ behind the wheel of his Vauxhall Corsa while picking up a friend before a business meeting.
Minutes after collecting his friend, Caruana hit Emily. The little girl had been walking hand-in-hand with her grandmother while they waited for a bus, letting go momentarily to dart across the road. She had been on the way to watch the Christmas lights switch on at the Trafford Centre.
Caruana, who had worked as a sales director of a call centre firm, had reportedly been so frustrated by the traffic congestion he had taken a photograph behind the wheel while stationary and had been dictating business messages to his fiancee, who had been seated in the front passenger seat.
On the first anniversary of Emily’s death, Caruana placed flowers at the scene of the tragedy, and also liaised with a priest from Emily’s church to whom he expressed his sorrow.
Cavendish PressProsecuting, Gavin Howie said:
He said he had picked up a friend outside a Tesco Express and had arranged to meet staff in the office and he had no reason to rush. He was questioned about a photograph found on his girlfriend’s phone. He accepted he had taken the picture but the car was stationary. He denied being frustrated by the traffic.
When he was given to opportunity to comment about a number of WhatsApp messages, he said he was dictating messages to his girlfriend to send and that he didn’t use the phone during the journey. He said he wasn’t in a rush but this defendant drove at a greatly excessive speed that caused a substantial risk of danger.
While passing the sentence down, Judge David Stockdale QC told Caruana:
Emily was a happy and healthy eight-year-old girl and it is difficult to conceive of a more innocent reason for her and her grandmother to be out and about that day. There was nothing untoward going on. No one could have predicted what was going to happen next.
It seems to me instead of reducing your speed significantly you sounded your horn as a warning and you swerved to your left. However that only served to startle Emily. She had been holding her grandmother’s hand but she let go apparently attempting to run to the far side of the road and your car collided with her.
There is evidence that you had been driving in a particular hurry to pick up a friend who was waiting for you. A photograph was sent to your friend showing you were stuck in traffic. Your passenger sent a message saying you were ‘breaking speed barriers’. You were in a hurry, you had been held up and you were frustrated by the time the accident had occurred.
But you had picked up your friend so that cause to be in a hurry had evaporated and I don’t know why you were in a hurry at the time of the accident. But you were driving at a grossly excessive speed and there was a failure to properly keep a look out at traffic conditions ahead and a failure to react to the movement of Emily and pedestrians on the road ahead.
Cavendish PressJudge Stockdale continued:
This was a piece of obviously dangerous driving in a residential built-up area that brought about the loss of a young life. It is rightly described as a tragic accident but it was an accident that was entirely avoidable. Emily’s family have suffered a great loss but I’m absolutely satisfied your remorse is sincere and genuine.
You have expressed it in a positive way by what you have said, what you have written and by that gestures such as your placing flowers at the scene on the accident. No sentence will compensate Emily Connor’s family for their loss. There are no winners in a case like this – only losers. No sentence I pass can turn back the clock for what has happened.’
This case is a classic example of the appalling consequences that can follow from a bit of driving at grossly excessive speed in a residential area with pedestrians about.
Emily’s father Danny Connor made the following statement to police, speaking about the ‘wonderful time’ their family had enjoyed during his daughter’s short life:
At the time of Emily’s death, she was doing well at school and her inclusive nature fulfilled a crucial role within the family. She was a bridge between the family members because of her engaging personality. She was a popular girl with many friends on the estate.
She enjoyed singing and dancing and even when illness in the family was present she was always a shining light. Knowing the boys need me is the only thing that keeps me going. There is always a little darkness in the background when they recall Emily is no longer with them.
Our thoughts are with the family of Emily Connor.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.