A hit-and-run driver who ploughed his car into a girl blissfully riding her scooter has been released from jail early.
Casey Wilson, five, was near her school in in Cardiff with her brother and mother when a speeding BMW struck her down last March.
CCTV footage shows how cowardly driver, Kurtis Dwyer, careered across the busy road and mounted the pavement before hitting the youngster.
He shamelessly drove off after appearing to lose control and ploughing down little Casey on her pink scooter.
Dwyer, 35, was sentenced to 14 months prison but has now been released after serving just two-and-a-half-months under an early release scheme on a ‘home detention curfew’.
Casey’s mother Rachel Bancroft has since hit out as the scheme, branding it ‘absolutely disgusting’, adding how her daughter had been left traumatised by the ordeal.
‘He literally took my daughter out from under her feet,’ she said: ‘I just think it’s absolutely disgusting that he’s out. Absolutely shocking.
‘To think he’ll be walking around in the summer now, with my kids in the park, how can I tell my little one that he’s around now?
Casey Wilson, five, (pictured) was happily riding her scooter along the pavement near her school with her brother and mum when an ‘out of control’ car collided into her
Kurtis Dwyer, 35, has been released after serving only two-and-a-half months behind bars after running over the child (Pictured smoking outside Cardiff Crown Court in March)
Casey’s mother Rachel Bancroft (pictured) has since hit out at the early release scheme, branding it ‘absolutely disgusting’
CCTV footage showed Dwyer overtake another car when he appeared to lose control and hurled across the road and hit Casey on her pink scooter
‘I don’t think anyone understands the mental trauma to my little girl,’ she added: ‘I just don’t see how it’s justified.’
Dwyer was eligible for the early release scheme having less than six months left before his conditional release date.
He will now be subject to a ‘home detention curfew’ and where a tag with ‘strict licence conditions’ according to the Ministry of Justice.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: ‘Those who break the rules can be returned to prison.’
Dwyer, who was known to the family, chose to confess the crime to little Casey’s father, insisting he had lost control after dropping a cigarette and handed himself into police.
Judge Simon Mills at Cardiff Crown Court said it did not make a difference to the case whether he’d dropped a cigarette or not and it was ‘miraculous’ Casey did not suffer extremely serious injuries or worse.
He added: ‘You admitted to the probation officer that you saw the child and yet you drove off. You’re then seen on CCTV making your way from the car in complete cowardice.’
Judge Mills said Casey ‘should be playing with friends and instead she is going to counselling’ and that Dwyer had stolen ‘one of life’s joys’ from her.
The five-year-old has been living with PTSD since the incident and is in daily fear of any cars, crossings or the road in general, her mother told the court
He was intially sentenced to 14 months in prison, and received a three-year driving ban
CCTV footage showed Casey made it to the top of the pavement before Dwyer careered across the busy road and crashed into her – before shamelessly driving off
The five-year-old was taken to hospital where she made a full physical recovery
At the time, Casey’s mother said in a heartfelt statement: ‘Casey left the incident with numerous bruises and scratches. There was an angel looking down on her that day. She was a very lucky but unlucky girl.
‘Casey is five years old and the emotional impact on her has been severe. She has been living with PTSD since the incident and is in daily fear of any cars, crossings or the road in general.
‘Before this incident happened she was a confident happy little girl and she never had any issues. Now she is glued to my hip constantly.
‘One day I remember I pulled onto the drive and got out my car and a loud motorbike went passed the house and Casey was shaking, screaming and running in distress.
‘To see my daughter like this was horrendous. I felt helpless as a mother and it is something I cannot put into words.’
