Teenager admits to killing telecoms engineer by dangerous driving
A teenager has admitted killing a telecoms engineer after driving into him in a Coseley street while speeding at the wheel of his mother's car.
Matthew Harding, aged 27, was working at the roadside when he was struck by the Citroen Picasso.
The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, had been distracted as he was trying to turn on the windscreen wipers in the car and then swerved to avoid a parked car, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
The vehicle careered into two Virgin Media technicians, Mr Harding and his colleague Jermaine Buchanan, at the corner of Jack Holden Avenue, Woodcross.
The court heard the youth, from Tipton, had been driving at 47mph in the residential area and had smoked cannabis the night before.
Mr Harding, a father from Oldbury, had only got married a week before he was killed on July 20 last year. He died the following day in hospital while Mr Buchanan suffered a broken arm and jaw, and a twisted ankle. He has since made a full recovery.
Mr Harding's widow Danielle was in court to see the teenager – who was 16 at the time of the crash – plead guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He will be sentenced on June 27.
Barrister Cathlyn Orchard read the youth's basis of plea to the court, which said: "I accept the standard of driving amounted to dangerous driving. I did not know how to drive any car."
Another boy, also aged 17, from Bilston, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and is to stand trial.
