A motorist who sped through a red light, hitting and killing a 14 year old boy, has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison. Evie Wiles, 25, was distracted by her mobile phone when she struck Christopher Arnett with her Seat Leon car in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, around 6pm on Thursday 2 February, 2023, according to Judge Andrew Hatton.
The young victim was rushed to hospital but tragically passed away the next day.
During the sentencing hearing at Luton Crown Court, Judge Hatton dismissed Wiles' claim that the traffic light was amber, stating: "I'm entirely satisfied that as you approached the traffic lights they changed to red."
He noted that Wiles' familiarity with the junction meant she would have known stopping at the red light would result in a significant wait before it turned green again.
Judge Hatton mentioned that it was challenging to determine the speed Wiles was driving at the time of the tragic incident, which occurred at the intersection of London Road and Two Waters Road. Wiles testified that she was driving between 20-30mph as she neared the lights, then accelerated to 30-35mph, reports the Mirror.
The court heard that Wiles had been exchanging Whatsapp messages with her partner, whom she was on her way to pick up. In a police interview, she confessed to speeding up to beat the traffic lights as they turned amber.
However, the judge rejected this version of events, firmly stating he was "entirely satisfied" that the lights had indeed turned red.
Wiles, now 25, was found guilty of causing Christopher's death by dangerous driving, despite her denial, in a previous trial at the same court. Wiles, from Lockers Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, was sentenced to five years and six months imprisonment on Friday, with the possibility of release on licence after serving half of this term.
She was also banned from driving for five years and will be required to take an extended driving test once the ban is lifted.
Christopher's mother, Claire Arnett, 52, tearfully read out a victim impact statement in court, stating: "I mourn the fact I won't watch him grow into a man, he was one of my best friends."
Addressing Wiles directly, the teacher said: "You've not once said sorry... you never even called 999."
Christopher's father, Lee Arnett, shared with the court that his son "loved Lego and loved Star Wars and Dr Who and Explorer Scouts".
The 49-year-old shift manager for a distribution company expressed: "Since that day we've been living in a nightmare – the pain of losing Christopher is indescribable."
Detective Sergeant Ben Heath, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Serious Collision Investigation Unit, commented: "First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Christopher's family and friends at what continues to be an extremely difficult time.
"No sentence will ever makeup for the unimaginable loss they have suffered. We have worked hard to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, securing a charge and, ultimately, a prison sentence. I hope this serves as a strong warning to drivers of the devastating consequences that dangerous driving can have."
Following the sentencing, Christopher's parents released a statement: "Losing a child is painful enough, but the brutal way that Christopher was taken from us will haunt us until our dying breaths. His killer destroyed not just his life but all of our lives that day, and we will never forgive her for that and her utter lack of remorse and refusal to accept any wrongdoing."
They also shared their memories of Christopher, saying he "was just one of those people you knew would do good in the world". He had been involved in scouting since the age of five and was on the cusp of starting his Duke of Edinburgh award.
Sam Collard, representing the family legally at Osbornes Law, commented: "It has taken more than two years to bring Christopher's killer to justice and, whilst nothing can bring him back, I hope that now legal action is at an end they can finally be left to grieve for their son in peace."
