Man jailed over fatal road crash

Stephan Henderson, pictured smiling at school

A banned drink-driver who crashed a car and killed an eight-year-old boy has been jailed for seven years.

David Jones, 21, lost control of a car on a bend in Aberdeen in October 2003.

Jones had collected Stephan Henderson, a family friend, and two other boys from school. He fled the scene, leaving Stephan dying in the wreckage.

Jones admitted causing his death, driving under the influence of alcohol and while disqualified. He was banned from driving for another 20 years.

Relatives of the boy screamed abuse at Jones and had to be restrained by police officers as he was led from the dock at the High Court in Forfar.

Jones ran away and left my son to die, that makes him a cold-blooded killer Wendy Henderson

Stephan's mother, Wendy Henderson, said nothing could make up for her son's death.

"No length of time that that man can get will stop this family hurting," she said.

"At the end of the day, as far as I'm concerned, Jones ran away and left my son to die, that makes him a cold-blooded killer."

The other two boys aged 12 and 11 - who cannot be named for legal reasons - suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Jones ran away as people at the scene phoned the emergency services.

Jones had been drinking fortified wine

The accused, of St Machar Court, Aberdeen, had been disqualified from driving since September 2001 and was not due to get his licence back until September 2006.

He had been seen drinking from a bottle of fortified wine before picking the boys up from school.

Following the sentencing, Inspector Ian Wallace, of Grampian Police, said: "The death of Stephan should never be spoken about in terms of a 'road accident'.

"It was as a direct result of serious criminality committed by a man whom the courts had previously recognised as a risk and danger to road users."