Sixteen-year-old yob killed his friend after 'showing off' on a stolen motorbike
Kian Buckler was left with critical head injuries and died after his family took the decision to switch his life support machine off.
A 16-year-old yob who killed his friend while ‘showing off’ on a stolen stolen motorbike has been locked up for five years.
Brett Everitt – who has been named after a reporting restriction was lifted in court – was riding the bike in the middle of Lunt Road in Bilston when it smashed into a car driven by disqualified driver Jamaine Lindo.
The impact catapulted 15-year-old passenger Kian Buckler off the back of the bike. He suffered serious head injuries and died days later in hospital.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Amjad Nawaz granted an application by the Express & Star to lift a reporting restriction on identifying the defendant.
He said naming Everitt, who has appeared in court for 25 offences previously, was in the interests of open justice and would serve as a deterrent to others.
He sentenced Everitt, of Thompson Road in Oldbury, to five years’ youth detention and banned him from driving for five years. Everitt had pleaded guilty to causing Kian’s death by dangerous driving.
Argument outside the court
Kian’s mother, Tina Richards, cried following sentencing, earlier telling the judge that Everitt has ‘robbed me of my son.”
Emotions were so charged following the hearing that an argument broke out between the families of Everitt and Kian outside the court room.
Ms Joanne Barker, prosecuting, said Everitt was seen riding the bike, which had no registration plates or head lights, on Lunt Road on November 29 at 6.30pm.
Ms Barker said: “Neither the defendant or Kian Buckler were wearing helmets, neither were wearing protective head gear and neither were wearing reflective clothing.”
She added: “At times the bike was being ridden at speed, attempts were done to pull wheelies and it overtook on what is a very busy road.”
CCTV was shown to the courtroom showing the bike travelling up and down Lunt Road before showing the crash at the junction with Boswell Road.
Ms Barker said: “As Jamaine Lindo began his right turn, not seeing motorbike, the defendant drove straight into his car.
“Both the defendant and Kian Buckler were thrown from the bike.”
Life support
Lindo got out of his car, moved Buckler to the pavement and he left the scene.
Kian was taken to hospital with serious head injuries.
He died three days later in hospital, his family making the decision to turn his life support machine off.
Everitt suffered a fractured jaw and knee.
Miss Sam Forsyth, defending Everitt, said: “He understands and appreciates what he did on that night was very wrong indeed.
“This was someone he (Kian) knew all his life, they had grown up together and being responsible for his death is a burden he will have to carry for the rest of his life.” The court heard how Everitt had been before the youth court on 14 occasions for 25 previous offences which included shoplifting, harassment, criminal damage and battery.
It was also revealed how, two days before the fatal crash, Everitt had been arrested and bailed on suspicion of illegally riding another motorbike.
The charge has since been discontinued on the basis of public interest.
Sentencing Everitt, Mr Nawaz said there was ‘an element of showing off’ before the crash.
Jamaine Lindo, 37, of Lunt Road, Bilston, was jailed at an earlier hearing for eight weeks after admitting driving whilst disqualified and without insurance and failing to stop at the incident.
Heartbroken
Speaking after the case had concluded, Kian's mother Tina Richards said: "I was going to take the kids on holiday this year after all the treatment had finished as we've all been through such a lot.
"Kian won't be here to go with us and it breaks my heart to know that I won't see him again."
She said the family had also bought Kian a motorbike for Christmas he would never get.
She added: "Losing Kian has left a great big hole in my life, which will never be filled.
"I miss his attitude, I miss his smile, I miss his presence. I miss him asking me for a bowl of cereal every night, I miss waking him up for school every day, I miss seeing him play with his little sister.
"I will never get to see him to to his school prom, get married, have children of his own. I won't get to see him open his Christmas presents ever again.
"Me and Kian's dad had bought him a motorbike for Christmas. He would have been over the moon about this, but he won't get to see that now."
Mr Buckler said: "He was a daddy's boy, I'm struggling to cope with his loss. We miss him every day."
