A young woman who was drink-driving when a baby was thrown through the open window of her car in a crash wept in court today as she avoided jail.
Stevie Steel, 24, and a friend had bought three bottles of wine for a day out at the beach when she collided with another vehicle shortly after they left.
Her Ford Focus rolled onto its roof and her friend’s six-month-old baby, Harry Kiely, was ‘thrown through the window’ and died from catastrophic head injuries.
Harry’s mother, Morgan, 22, was given a two-year suspended sentence in July after she was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence.
Her son had not been strapped into his seat properly during the short journey in Clacton, Essex.
Steel has now received a one-year term, suspended for a year, after admitting causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit.
Mr Justice Robert Jay said the incident was ‘undoubtedly a tragic case’, adding: ‘It’s a sad and tragic fact that accidents like this do happen as a result of bad luck.’
Steel, of Dartford in Kent, and Ms Kiely had bought three bottles of rosé on July 13, 2022, Chelmsford Crown Court heard today.
Stevie Steel, 24, had bought three bottles of wine during a day out at the beach with a friend when she collided with another vehicle and flipped her car
The pair then spent around three hours at the beach in Clacton before they got in the car to drive to the nearby house of Morgan’s grandmother.
Steel’s ex-partner, Mitchell Basset, didn’t think that they were drunk, the court heard, but he did say they were ‘tipsy and happy’. His offer to give them a lift was turned down.
‘You could and should have taken up his offer and put aside any worries about the parking arrangements,’ Mr Justice Jay told the defendant.
The journey ‘would not have taken very long’ but Harry’s car seat was not strapped into the car and his harness was not attached.
Two minutes after setting off, Steel ‘lost concentration for a short period’ and collided with the parked vehicle.
Although she was not speeding, the vehicle rolled onto its roof and Harry – who was sitting on his own in the back of the car – was propelled through the window.
After hearing the collision, local residents rushed to the scene, including a retired paediatric nurse who spoke to the 999 call handler and provided some care for Harry.
Kiely – who was described as a ‘devoted mother’ and has since given up her job as a carer – was said to have been heard saying: ‘My baby, my baby, is my baby okay?’
Six-month-old Harry Kiely, pictured with mother Morgan, 22, was thrown through an open window and suffered devastating head injuries
Emergency services rushed to help Harry but he was declared dead at hospital later the same day
Emergency services rushed to the scene where they treated Harry for more than an hour.
He was later taken to hospital but was declared dead that evening.
Tests showed Steel had 43mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, compared to the legal limit of 35mg.
But the judge suspended her sentence today, saying there was ‘very considerable personal mitigation’.
She was of previously good character, had admitted the offence and had expressed remorse. She also has a young child with her ex-partner.
During Kiely’s sentencing in July, the same court heard that the two women were planning to drop Harry off before heading on to a Wetherspoons pub.
Describing the devastation of the crash, prosecutor Alex Stein said at the hearing that the friends had been ‘left hanging upside down, held in by their seatbelts’.
‘He [Harry] landed on the tarmac and, as a young infant, he had no way of protecting himself,’ he added.
Addressing Steel at Chelmsford Crown Court, Mr Justice Robert Jay said the incident was ‘undoubtedly a tragic case’
‘He suffered a devastating skull fracture. It’s a very, very sad case.’
Christopher Martin, defending Steel today, said his client had spoken to charities about helping with campaigning against drink driving.
This was ‘with a view to try and nail home how serious the consequences of this type of offending really are’ for young people.
The defendant was also disqualified from driving for five years and must pass an extended test before returning to behind the wheel.
