‘Loony’ driver jailed for mowing down and killing 11-year-old girl

Ruby Cropper was catapulted 46 feet along a road after she was hit by Andrew Cairns in his Suzuki Alto in Greater Manchester.

Andrew Cairns was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving (Greater Manchester Police/PA) (PA Media)

A “loony” driver who mowed down and killed an 11-year-old girl has been jailed for five years for causing death by dangerous driving.

Andrew Cairns, 36, was weaving in and out of traffic, overtaking on the wrong side of the road and speeding in his Suzuki Alto seconds before rounding a bend and ploughing into Ruby Cropper, on a sunny summer’s afternoon in August 2020, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Ruby, who was crossing the road with a friend to play in Coronation Park in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, was catapulted 46 feet along the road after being hit at a speed estimated to be not less than 44mph.

Crash experts concluded that if Cairns had been driving to the 30mph limit, he would not have hit Ruby.

The defendant, who had previous driving-related convictions, left Ruby dying in the road and sped off.

Ruby suffered 33 broken bones and her mother and older brother dashed to scene, which was 100 yards from the family home, to hold her hand as she lay injured.

She was airlifted to hospital and her life support machine was turned off after two days with family at her bedside after doctors concluded her injuries were not survivable.

Cairns, who gave himself up shortly after, admitted causing death by careless driving on August 10 2020.

This is a tragic reminder for all those who drive - if speed limits are not observed, the car we are driving can be a lethal weapon

Judge Timothy Smith

But he was convicted unanimously by a jury of the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial in January and was sentenced on Thursday.

He covered his ears as Ruby’s family read out victim impact statements at the hearing, her mother Shelley Booth saying: “The sight of seeing her unconscious and dying in front of me is the worst thing I have ever had to deal with.”

Passing sentence, Judge Timothy Smith jailed Cairns for five years and gave him a seven-year driving ban.

Six months after the crash, Cairns was caught speeding at 98mph on the M62.

Judge Smith told the defendant he had an “arrogant entitlement to drive at excessive speed”.

He added: “This is a tragic reminder for all those who drive – if speed limits are not observed, the car we are driving can be a lethal weapon.”

Earlier, the court heard witnesses describe Cairns pulling a “chicane manoeuvre”, weaving between traffic and driving “super-fast”.

One witness described Cairns as a “crazy man” and another said: “F****** hell, what a loony.”

Cairns had two previous convictions for drink-driving, including crashing and flipping his father’s Honda Civic and leaving the scene.

Ruby’s family said she had become a “life-saver” through organ donation to three other people after her death and £17,000 had been raised for North West Air Ambulance.

(Ruby) made me happy when I was sad. She was my everything and it's hard to put into words the loss I feel. I will never heal from this. I will never recover from this

Ruby's father Ian Cropper

Victim impact statements were read to the court.

Ms Booth said: “We lay with her and played her favourite music, took her hand and footprints, told her how much we loved her and were there until her last breath.”

Her father Ian Cropper spoke of his “unbearable pain”, adding: “She made me happy when I was sad. She was my everything and it’s hard to put into words the loss I feel.

“I will never heal from this. I will never recover from this.”