Friday 27 April 2012

Speeding Uninsured L-Driver Jailed For Killing Budding Dancer


A speeding hit-and-run unlicensed L-driver, who set fire to his car after killing a talented 14 year-old girl dancer, was jailed for six-and-a-half years yesterday.


Alessia Boschiazzo (pictured) has passed her audition to the BRIT school the day before she was run over and her heartbroken family received the acceptance letter after her life-support machine had been switched off.


Apprentice scaffolder Steven Saunders, 22, of Gardeners Close, Motingham admitted causing Alessia's death by dangerous driving in Moreland Road, Croydon on February 25, last year and causing death by driving while unlicensed and uninsured.


He also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice, namely setting fire to his Renault Clio in a cul-de-sac half a mile away, a blaze which caused £10,000 worth of damage to two other vehicles.


The Carshalton teenager - whose ambition was to become a professional dancer - was described by her devastated mother Cecilia Flores as: "A lovely, happy teenager full of goals and targets in her life."


Saunders, who has a previous conviction of failing to stop for police while driving a stolen car, was speeding at 50mph in a 30mph residential road and "darting and weaving in and out of traffic," Croydon Crown Court was told.


He was rushing to a restaurant date with his girlfriend and decided to drive the car, which he had only bought a few days earlier, and had already driven on at least two occasions.


Alessia was struck as she crossed the dimly lit road and Saunders immediately sped off.


"Miss Boschiazzo was left lying in the road. She sustained very serious injuries and was taken to St. George's Hospital for treatment," said prosecutor Mr. James Brown.


"She died a week later on the fourth of March. Her injuries were extensive and fatal."


Alessia's father Aldo Boschiazzo, who was described in court as a "broken man" was too emotional and angry to attend, but in a statement said: "I am living a life sentence now. Every day of my life is a nightmare."


The Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon told Saunders: "This is a quite dreadful and tragic case. You mowed down that poor girl at the beginning of her life. She was only fourteen and had everything to live for.


"There you were, a provisional driver, who had bought this car a few days before this dreadful accident.


"You had driven it at least twice before while unlicensed and you drove at a grossly excessive speed inappropriate to the circumstances.


"You may have seen Alessia moments before the collision, but before that you were accelerating towards her and it sounds almost pathetic to say you were doing that because you were running late.


"What aggravates this is that having struck Alessia, you almost without thinking sped off straight away and went to the nearest out of the way cul de sac we you set fire to your vehicle with the intention of getting away with the dreadful crime you had committed."

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