Judges throw out appeal by teen who killed grandfather in tragic Shirley high speed crash

A teenager who killed a man and caused serious injuries to a young boy when he ‘floored’ the accelerator of a brand new £105,000 Range Rover has had his appeal dismissed.

Stephen Beckett was on his way to play cricket when then 19-year-old Kirpal Singh Sokhi ploughed into his van in Shirley, sending it careering across a road and into a tree.

The 59-year-old grandfather was killed and his nine-year-old grandson suffered serious injuries in the high-speed crash in Bills Lane last August.

Sokhi, now 20, of Tetley Road, Hall Green, admitted causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving while uninsured and was jailed for five years at Birmingham Crown Court in January.

He appealed against that term, but three of the county’s top judges, sitting at the Court of Appeal in London, said the sentence was fully justified for such a serious set of offences.

‘The overall sentence is perfectly proper, there is nothing in this appeal and it is dismissed,’ said Lord Justice Laws, sitting with Mr Justice Blair and Mr Justice Holroyde.

The court heard the automotive design student did not have permission to drive the car, which was owned by his father, when he took it on the afternoon of 17th August last year.

He accelerated in Bills Lane in an attempt to get the £105,000 car to its maximum speed – but instead smashed into Mr Bennett’s Astra as he pulled out of a side road.

The appeal judge told the court, Sokhi was travelling at 68mph in the 30mph zone when he hit Mr Bennett’s van, while the grandfather was doing no more than 10mph.

Sentencing at the crown court, Judge James Burbidge QC said it was the most serious type of dangerous driving, involving a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road.

Sokhi had ‘floored’ the accelerator pedal to go as fast he possibly could, he said.

Appealing, his lawyers argued that the sentence was too tough for a young man of previous good character.

A set of ‘glowing’ references and reports from the young offenders’ institution where Sokhi is serving his punishment were put forward.

But giving judgment, Lord Justice Laws said the crown court judge was justified in describing the offence as a ‘category one’ crime.

The appeal was dismissed.

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