Mother of boy killed in Kent hit and run asks King Charles to support campaign for tougher sentences
ITV News Meridian's Tom Savvides, met Laura Brown at the church where William is buried.
A mother has written to King Charles, asking him to support her campaign for tougher sentences for people who fail to stop at the scene of an incident, after her son was killed in a hit and run.
William Brown, 7, was retrieving his football from the coast road at Sandgate, Folkestone in Kent on 6 December 2023, when he was struck by a van driven. He died at the scene.
William's mother, Laura Brown wants harsher punishments for those who leave the scene of a collision.
The court imposed an immediate driving ban, and he will be sentenced on 7 July. As it is a summary offence, the current maximum sentence is six months.
Laura Brown has received 8,000 signatures on her petition, Justice For All Hit-And-Run Victims.
Laura Brown spoke to ITV News Meridian about her petition.
Speaking to ITV Meridian, Laura Brown said: "Once people realise the sentencing you can get from what's happened to William, they'll be shocked.
"Hopefully [the King] will feel the same and will want to make a change."
The King had intervened, granting permission for an ancient churchyard in Folkestone to be reopened, so William could be buried there, after his parents wrote a letter about their request.
The court heard previously heard how traces of cannabis were found in Powell's system, when he attended the police station following the crash, and that he was a habitual user of the drug.
Ms Brown previously said she forgives Powell and is calling on him to take part in an anti-drug driving campaign.
She said: "I would say to Stewart, we forgive you.
"I think you made some really poor choices, pre and post the death of William.
"We feel sad for you. You know, he has to live with that as well. He didn't set out to kill William that day, that's one thing for sure, but he just made some awful choices and I believe that he wishes he could change back time and so do we.
"But if he could come on board and do a drug drive campaign, I think it could be so impactful and so powerful if it came from Stewart himself, and together we could make a change."
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