Motorist Robert Lawrence lied to police after crash death of Kyle Coen, 14, in Bapchild
by Keith Hunt
A driver has admitted lying to the police that his car had been
stolen after he was involved in an accident in which a teenage
cyclist was killed.
Robert Lawrence, of Railway Cottages, Barrow Green, Teynham,
admitted perverting the course of justice today and could now be
jailed.
A judge at Maidstone Crown Court was told the 24-year-old
was not facing any other charges over the death of Kyle Coen,
pictured right.
The 14-year-old popular Sittingbourne Community College pupil
was cycling to see his girlfriend Donna Clarke on July 30 last year
when he was struck by Lawrence's Fiat Bravo car in London Road by
Bapchild Cricket Club ground.
Gary Pons, prosecuting, said Lawrence failed to stop after the
accident and then telephoned police to claim his car had been
stolen.
Judge Charles Macdonald QC asked: "Will there be any proceedings
as a result of the collision?"
Mr Pons replied: "No, it was investigated for approximately six
months and the decision was that no proceedings be brought for
that."
Kyle Coen died after
being hit outside Bapchild Cricket Club
Requesting pre-sentence reports, Tamsin Ryder, defending, said
Lawrence had been warned that a prison sentence was a real
possibility.
"He has entered a very timely guilty plea," she said. "It is
obviously a serious charge."
Adjourning sentence until after February 24 and granting bail,
Judge Macdonald said reports would provide "more of a feel for what
potentially could have been a prosecution for a road traffic
collision".
The judge said reports should consider a suspended jail sentence
or high community order, but warned: "It does look like shortish
custody at the moment."
24/01/13
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