Heartless driver who mowed down girl and left her dying on street jailed

dailyrecord.co.uk:

An ‘arrogant and entitled’ motorist who struck and killed an 11-year-old girl has been sentenced to five years in prison. Andrew Cairns, 36, was travelling back from work August 2020 when he mowed down Ruby Cropper as she and a friend crossed New Road in Radcliffe.

He sped away from the scene and ditched his vehicle, before making the short walk to his home and calling emergency services.

The school girl sustained unsurvivable injuries and tragically died two days later, Manchester Evening News reports. A trial at Nightingale Court earlier this year, carried out at the Hilton Hotel as a result of the pandemic, saw a jury unanimously convict Cairns, of Radcliffe, of causing death by dangerous driving.On February 17 he was jailed for five years.He had previously pleaded guilty to causing the death of Ruby by careless driving, but denied causing her death by dangerous driving.The court heard Cairns had not expressed any 'remorse or regret' for what he had done.Jamie Baxter, prosecuting, told the court that on August 10 2020 at around 4.30pm, 11-year-old Ruby was struck by Cairns' Suzuki Alto at ‘excessive speed’ as she crossed the road.“Instead of waiting and pulling over, or calling an ambulance or asking for help, the defendant chose to drove away,” he said.“The force of the collision propelled her forwards 14 metres (46 feet) from the point of impact, where she came to rest on the opposite side of the carriageway near to a bus stop.“Notwithstanding the efforts of decent members of the public, some sat with Ruby as she lay in the road, and efforts of well trained and dedicated ambulance service and medical professionals, she passed away in the early hours of August 12.”Expert evidence suggested that Cairns was