Driver James Davis guilty of killing baby Ciaran Morris in Brownhills pram crash
An uninsured driver has been found guilty of killing two-week-old baby Ciaran Morris on Brownhills High Street last year.
A jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court found 35-year-old James Davis guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death while uninsured.
He was then sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison after the court was told how he had 27 previous convictions including for drink driving and dealing cocaine.
Davis had cannabis in his system when he was speeding down Brownhills High Street last Easter Sunday afternoon before causing the fatal crash.
After deliberating for two hours and six minutes the jury found Davis guilty of causing of death by dangerous driving and causing death while uninsured.
He swerved into oncoming traffic and then the BMW he was driving, which was not registered to him or insured by him, span out of control and pinned Ciaran's pushchair into a gate causing catastrophic injuries. CCTV footage showed him speeding before the crash happened and then running away afterwards.
It was the first time 18-day-old Ciaran's parents Camaron Morris and Codie Holyman had taken him outside since returning from hospital after being born.
Several members of Ciaran's family were in court on Friday to see Davis being found guilty, including Mr Morris who described Davis as an "absolute scumbag". There were gasps of relief from Ciaran's family as the guilty verdicts were read out.
Despite police bodycam footage of him saying "I've killed a baby, I'm going to prison. I deserve to go to prison" the 35-year-old from Croxtalls Avenue, Bloxwich, decided to plead not guilty to all counts, putting baby Ciaran's family through the ordeal of a trial.
The two-week case revealed Davis had ran away from the scene of the crash so he could say goodbye to his own girlfriend and baby.
Baby Ciaran’s death triggered an outpouring of grief in Brownhills, with flowers, teddy bears and toys left near the site, and blue ribbons tied to roadside railings and even the town’s 40ft tall landmark miner statue.
The blue ribbons tribute was taken up by residents and traders and became a familiar sight around Brownhills in the wake of the tragedy.
In an emotional tribute, Ciaran’s parents said: “Mommy’s and Daddy’s hearts will always ache, we love you more than anything. We didn’t get to keep you for long but we are happy we had the chance to meet you, look after you and call you our son. Fly high angel.”
Both parents were 18 at the time of the tragedy and Ciaran was their first born. They had posted messages on social media last month speaking of their joy following the birth.
The baby’s funeral took place on April 28 last year, with the cortege, led by a horse-drawn hearse, passing near to the scene of the crash as crowds of well-wishers gathered to pay their respects after the unthinkable tragedy.
Flowers and soft toys were displayed paying tribute to the infant, while a large number of motorcyclists rode alongside the funeral procession bearing blue ribbons.
Around £39,000 was raised for the family with 2,149 people making donations.
