Driver who killed teenager in Hirwaun while high on cocaine has sentence increased

A driver who killed a 13-year-old boy while high on cocaine and alcohol has had his sentence increased at the Court of Appeal.

Harley Whiteman drove into Kaylan Hippsley as he and his friends walked to a community centre in Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon, in February this year.

Whiteman, who pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving, had been given a sentence of six years and nine months at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court in April.

However, on Wednesday, judges in London extended this to nine years, following a referral by the Solicitor General.

A driving ban was also extended to 11 years.

Some members of Kaylan’s family and friends who attended the hearing could be seen crying as the new sentence was imposed.

They had spoken to ITV Wales in May about their determination to make sure no other family has to go through what they did.

Kelly Brocklehurst, representing the solicitor general, told the court Kaylan’s death was “very tragic and unavoidable”, and that the original sentence was “unduly lenient”.

The court heard that Whiteman, who was 19 at the time of the incident, drank four pints and had a line of cocaine at two pubs in the Welsh village earlier this year.

After he and two friends were kicked out of the last pub they had drank in, Whiteman drove at “highly inappropriate speeds for a built-up area or village”. Mr Brocklehurst added they had reached speeds said to be up to 60mph where the limit was 20mph.

Mr Brocklehurst said Whiteman, who refused to have his blood taken after the incident, struck Kaylan as he “stood in a place where you would expect to be safe” on the pavement, with his friends watching on.

Whiteman then drove off before returning on foot a short while later.

The court heard that Whiteman began “holding Kaylan’s hand” as the victim was tended to on the floor before members of the public asked him to leave, believing him to be under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

After being asked to leave, Whiteman said: “Do you think I give a f*** about this kid on the floor?”

James Hartson, representing Whiteman, told the court the now 20-year-old was “still a very young man” with “a plethora of mitigation”.

He made a “dreadful set of choices”, Mr Hartson added and said Whiteman had an “extremely immature” attitude.

After his arrest, Whiteman told officers he was “aware of a little bang” when he struck Kaylan “but thought he had just hit the curb”, the court heard.

The court was told in a victim impact statement that Kaylan’s grandmother – whom the teenager had lived with – “no longer had a purpose in life”.

His sister said in a second victim impact statement that “she could not bear to be anywhere that reminded her of him”.

Increasing the sentence, Lord Justice William Davis, sitting alongside Mrs Justice Thornton and Judge Michael Chambers KC, said Whiteman had been previously described as “abhorrent and heartless … and totally unrepentant”.

He added: “There is nothing this court can do to assist the grief the family has for Kaylan.”

After the hearing, solicitor general Sarah Sackman MP said: “Harley Whiteman’s reckless actions have broken a family and stolen the life of a 13-year-old boy.

“That Whiteman fled the scene before abusing people tending to Kaylan, as well as police officers, is utterly deplorable.

“The court rightly increased Whiteman’s sentence and this should send a clear warning to those who recklessly drive at high speeds and endanger the lives of others that they will be punished with the full force of the law.”

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