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Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Hit-and-run driver who mounted pavement and ploughed into girl, five, is released early from jail
A hit-and-run driver who mounted a pavement and ploughed into a five-year-old blissfully riding her scooter has been released early from jail. Casey Wilson was happily riding her scooter near her school in in Cardiff with her brother and mother when a speeding BMW struck her down. CCTV footage of the incident showed how cowardly driver, Kurtis Dwyer, careered across the busy road and running over the five-year-old, March last year. 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?. 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. 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.'
The Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Driver who ploughed into girl, 5, riding scooter on pavement before shamelessly speeding off released EARLY from jail
A MAN who mowed down a young girl has been released after just two and a half months. Kurtis Dwyer, 35, crashed into five-year-old Casey while she was riding her scooter home from school. 5 5 5 He mounted the pavement while driving at a high speed, colliding with the five-year-old as she rode her scooter. The horrific incident occurred in Grangetown, Cardiff, in March 2024, leaving the girl with ongoing physical and mental injuries. The dangerous driver was sentenced to 14 months after pleading guilty. During a trial which concluded on March 3 2025, Judge Simon Mills said that half of the sentence would be served behind bars, and the other half on licence. In reality, Kurtis was released early, serving just two and a half months in prison. Casey's mother, Rachel Bancroft told WalesOnline: 'It's hard to get my head around that with all the fight, stress, frustration and sleepless nights with the police and chasing evidence etc that it's taken nearly a year battling to get justice. "Then we finally get justice for him to do seven months in custody and he only does two and a half months. 'It has made me so angry. What has this world come to? I'm sure if the shoe was on the other foot and it was his child he'd be really disappointed as well. 'My little girl is still really suffering and I've now had to tell her that the bad man who hit her is out of jail. "It's taken me a year of fighting for justice for him to serve less than three months in jail. It's a disgrace.' The Ministry of Justice announced on Monday May 2 that Kurtis had been released into home detention curfew. This was possible because of the early release scheme which is an attempt to solve the country's prison overcrowding issue. It enables prisoners to be released from custody after serving just 40% of their sentence, rather than the prior 50% requirement. The scheme is also intended to help rehabilitate offenders through reintroducing them into community life earlier. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson told Wales Online that released offenders still face "strict licence conditions", including being tagged. They added: "Those who break the rules can be returned to prison." 5 5 In order to be eligible for home detention curfew, offenders must have been risk-assessed, and have six months or less left before their conditional release date. Kurtis had 15 previous convictions for 22 offences. He was also sent back to court during his time in custody after failing to provide a specimen when police requested. He was photographed laughing and taking pictures outside the Cardiff Crown Court before his sentencing. CCTV footage of the incident showed Kurtis driving recklessly before crashing into the child - he then drove away "in complete cowardice" according to the judge. He then later phoned the girl's father to admit to the crime, as well as telling the probation officer that he had seen the child before driving off. It comes a week after Britain's most senior police officer criticised ministers failure to consider the impact early release of prisoners might have on police forces. Sir Mark Rowley argued that the scheme would create even more work for police, as he is concerned some released prisoners would go on to commit more offences.
