by A drug driver who sent a photo on his phone moments before killing a 10-year-old girl in a crash has been jailed for 12 years.
Lily Lockwood, nicknamed Lollypop, was fatally injured in the crash as she crossed the road to join her friends in the park in Dartford, Kent, on July 10, 2021.
Former taxi driver Gavin Prodger, of Beaulieu Rise, Rochester, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit for cocaine and benzoylecgonine, as well as possessing cocaine.
The 50-year-old was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court and also banned from driving until 2040 and had his Audi car confiscated.
(Kent Police)
A Kent Police spokesman said Prodger was driving 47mph in a 30mph speed limit on Watling Street when the accident happened.
He said the police investigation also found Prodger had impaired vision and was using his mobile phone to send a photo in the moments before the collision.
A spokesman for the force said: “Gavin Prodger consumed the class A drug before getting behind the wheel of his Audi.
“His car hit 10-year-old Lily Lockwood in Watling Street at around 6.50pm as she crossed the road to join her friends at the local park.
“CCTV footage showed that Lily had carefully checked that the roads were clear before the collision. He was taken to hospital where he later died.
“At the scene, officers asked Prodger, of Beaulieu Rise, Rochester, to complete an impairment test. He did not perform well during the process and was arrested.”
Detective Constable Lee Burridge said: “Prodger's decision to drive that day cost the life of a young child and left a family grieving the loss of their little girl.
“Not only was Prodger under the influence of Class A drugs, he was also speeding, had a known vision condition and was using his mobile phone.
“These critical decisions meant that his ability to drive was severely impaired, he posed a significant risk to other motorists and pedestrians and he was unable to react in time to avoid a tragic collision.
“His sentence should serve as a lesson to others who ignore the dangers of driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“Their selfish actions can have dire consequences. I can only hope that the conclusion of this trial will allow Lily's family some closure, knowing that the person responsible for her death is now serving a prison sentence.”
