Matthew Harding death: Wife speaks of sorrow after driver jailed

The words of Matthew Harding's wife who has spoken of her sorrow after he was mowed down and killed by an underage driver.

The 17-year-old, who was 16 at the time, is starting a four and a half year sentence after admitting responsibility.

Danielle and Matthew Harding married around a week before he was killed after being struck while working in a Coseley street.

Mr Harding, a father from Oldbury, was hit by a Citroen Picasso as he worked on a communications box with colleague Jermaine Buchanan on July 20 last year.

The vehicle careered into the two Virgin Media technicians at the corner of Jack Holden Avenue, Woodcross.

Mr Harding was taken to hospital but later died.

His co-worker suffered two gashes to his head, lost two teeth, fractured a wrist and damaged an ankle but he had since made a full recovery.

The youth had been driving at 47mph in the residential area and had smoked cannabis the night before.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed at Wolverhampton Crown Court last week.

He also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was banned from the road for seven years and two months.

His wife Danielle described her late husband as 'one in a million' in a statement released today.

"Matt was the most loveable person you could ever come across - he was one in a million," she said.

"Every day he woke up with that big beaming smile he had on his face.

"He would bend over backwards to help anyone out because he had a heart of gold.

"I lost a piece of myself I won't ever get back."

In a statement, Mr Harding's mother Beryl, said: "Our life without Matthew is broken.

"He is the missing piece of our jigsaw that will never be found and there is a massive hole in our family that can never be repaired.

"It is so difficult to accept the fact Matthew didn't leave on his terms, he was cruelly taken from us by an act that not could have, but should have, been avoided."

Pc Chris Ridge, from the Regional Collision Investigation Unit, said: "Our investigations showed the driver lost control of the car, causing it to mount the kerb and slide across the grassed area.

"He was just 16, too young to drive and his reckless actions have resulted in tragic consequences.

"Matthew had only been married for just over a week and his devastating loss has been felt by all his family."