Mother of boy, 11, killed after horrific car windscreen incident issues plea to drivers

ITV News Meridian's Andy Dickenson speaks to Harry Dennis' mother Maria

The mother of an 11-year old boy who was killed by a dangerous driver is pleading with people to think whether they and their vehicles are in a fit state to be on the road.

Harry Dennis was a passenger in a car that was struck by scaffolding which was hanging off a van.

The board came through the windscreen of the vehicle, hitting him in the chest and the neck.

The driver of the vehicle, Russell Le Beau, was jailed for four years in November 2023 after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

Harry's mother Maria Dennis told ITV News of the anguish she's felt since her son's tragic death,

"They were driving through a road in Hooe and a scaffold board, that was unsecure on the back of a flatbed van, as they came around the corner, it came through the windscreen of the vehicle and Harry was struck the in the neck and the chest.

"He loved his football. That's one of his favourite things. I just didn't didn't understand the heartache, the pain that you've never, ever experienced before.

"Your world has just been smashed into a million pieces and you don't know where to start. How do you start putting them together?"

"You need to secure your luggage. You need to don't use your phone while you're driving. Don't drink, drive, don't drive, drive. But people think, 'Oh, I'll be alright, I'm only going down the road'.

"I'd like to think anyone with a heart would listen to this and and think twice before they get in their car and how they drive.

"When they put load in the truck or on their roof, spend an extra couple of minutes checking it's alright because this didn't have to happen.

"There are lots of other people out there who are in this situation which they shouldn't have to go through."

Maria is backing a campaign by Sussex Police to crackdown on dangerous driving.

A month-long initiative will see officers increase checks on drivers and highlighting the 'fatal five' driving behaviour, speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone, and driving with insecure loads.

Across the country, more deaths and serious injuries occur on the roads in July than in any other month.

Inspector Pete Swash said, "One road death is one too many. There are sadly too many victims and too many families that have to live with the consequences.

"Often people think it won't happen to me, but sadly it does happen to people and it's really important to to us to avoid these types of collisions so that people can go home safely to their loved ones."

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