A driver who knocked a 14-year-old cyclist off his bike and left him lying fatally injured has been jailed for three years and four months.
Steven Mills, 29, hit the teenager as he drove along Chapel Lane in Bingham at around 10.10pm on Monday, July 25 2016.
Jack, who lived in Newton, was cycling home.
Mills, of Closes Side Lane, East Bridgford, did not stop and set fire to his car the same night, destroying evidence.
But three hours after the crash he had a change of heart and handed himself in at Carlton Police Station.
Mills appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (June 2) and admitted causing death by careless driving, for which he was given a 22-month sentence, and perverting the course of justice, for which he was was given 18 months, to run consecutively.
He was also banned from driving for four years and six months.
In a statement released after the sentencing, Jack’s family said: “Our beloved Jack was a handsome, vibrant and enthusiastic young man with an enviable passion for life. He had a promising future ahead of him with the constant loving support of his adoring family.
“Jack’s magnetic personality shone wherever he went along with his engaging sense of humour. The world has lost a bright star of the future and as a family we will never recover from losing our irreplaceable, incomparable, incredible Jack. To consider the future without him is simply unbearable for us all.”
Video: The crash scene at Chapel Lane, Bingham, in July 2016.
Dozens of bunches of flowers and other tributes were left at the roadside after the crash and in February Jack’s family unveiled a memorial bench in his honour at Wharf Lane Recreation Ground, in Radcliffe-on-Trent.
“Jack was a free spirit always true to himself, never frightened of standing up for others or for what he believed in.” his family added.
“For his life to be cut short in such a brutal way is a huge injustice to him and no sentence will ever compensate for that. He had so much ahead of him which has now been lost because of a senseless act of carelessness and lack of compassion.
“His loss is felt by all who were lucky enough to have known him, missed daily by all his friends and family alike who are struggling to come to terms with what has happened.
“We would like to thank all those who have supported, cared for and been alongside us through the past 10 months. It means more to us than words can say through the most devastating time.
“Finally the last word must be for our dear son. We love you and will always love and keep your memory alive forever. You will never be forgotten, your smile will never fade and your light will continue to shine for eternity.”
Detective Sergeant Adam Cooper, from Nottinghamshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This case highlights the need for motorists to give cyclists suitable amount of space when overtaking. Steven Mills allowed hardly any room for his manoeuvre and then left Jack fatally injured in the verge of the road. The fact that he didn’t stop to check on him and then destroyed the evidence is absolutely unforgiveable and has left his family distraught.
“I would like to thank Jack’s family for their bravery and patience in what has been a long wait for the conclusion of the investigation.
“I would like to thank all of the officers involved for their tireless work, from those who first attended through to the Collision Investigation Team. They had a particularly difficult job considering the circumstances but managed to bring the case through to prosecution.”
