A young individual, without any prior driving instruction, fatally struck a 17-year-old pedestrian in a hit-and-run incident.
Harley Hough has received a six-and-a-half-year detention sentence in a youth detention center for causing the death of Alex Woodward, who was crossing the street with friends on the way to a store.
Hough, aged 17, has now been publicly named after legal challenges lifted reporting restrictions preventing his identification. He confessed to authorities that he had never undergone formal driving training.
Driving a BMW at 58mph, Hough overtook another vehicle on Dawlish Drive, Bentilee, when the collision occurred, propelling Alex 47 meters from the impact point. Alex succumbed to severe injuries at the Royal Stoke University Hospital the following day, as Hough failed to stop at the scene.
After the incident, Hough drove to Park Hall Country Park, where he set fire to the BMW before surrendering to the police two days later. During questioning, he claimed he did not view his driving as reckless at the time of the tragedy, blaming the victim for attempting to beat his vehicle to the curb.
Expressing regret, Hough stated that he would like to extend his apologies to the victim’s family and friends. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including causing death by dangerous driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving without a license or insurance.
In court, Hough’s legal representative highlighted his lack of criminal history and young age, emphasizing his acknowledgment of responsibility and remorse. Judge Graeme Smith sentenced Hough to six-and-a-half years of detention in a youth facility, also disqualifying him from driving for eight years until he passes an extended driving test.