Hit-and-run driver who killed two children had been jailed in Hungary
A HUNGARIAN killed two girls in a hit-and-run smash after being allowed into Britain despite having a criminal record.
Gabor Hegedus was jailed for four years yesterday for mowing down 12- year- old Helena Kotlarova and her cousin Zaneta Krokovaje, 11, on New Year’s Eve.
The pair, who were Czech, were walking across a road hand-inhand to a shop when they were hit by Hegedus’s Peugeot 807 estate.
Helena was propelled into the path of another car and was killed at the scene, while Zaneta, who was hurled over 60ft, died in hospital two days later.
Hegedus, 39, was jailed for five years in Hungary in February 2000 for robbery, aggravated battery and misuse of a document.
Then in May 2007, he was given a suspended sentence for car theft and counterfeiting.
But he was still able to enter the UK legally because of European Union freedom of movement laws. Sentencing, Judge John Potter said: ‘As a result of this incident the lives of two young, happy and kind children were taken away – and their families’ hopes and expectations for the bright futures of children were extinguished.’
Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court heard that after the smash, Hegedus was assisted by three Hungarian accomplices, each of whom had criminal records.
Janos Kalanyos, 50, had 11 convictions in Hungary – including rape in 1999 for which he was jailed for three years and eight months, and murder in 2004, for which he got six and a half years.
Zoltan Peto, 49, had five convictions in Hungary, including fraud and forgery in 2010, for which he was jailed for four years and two months. David Orsos, 19, had one conviction for breach of the peace.
But all could be allowed to stay in the UK, as Judge Potter said he did not know whether he had the power to deport them.
He said: ‘It’s not clear whether I have power to recommend whether each of you should be deported. If I do, I make that rec- ommendation – but it may be a matter for the Home Office.’
Milan Kroka, Zaneta’s father, said: ‘Nothing will ever bring back our daughter and our family is still struggling to come to terms with this devastating tragedy.
Those young girls have been tragically taken from us.’
The crash happened at 7pm on December 31, 2016 after Hegedus, Orsos and Kalanyos had spent the day working on a house clearance in Oldham and were driving home in two vehicles.
Helena and Zaneta were crossing a road just 100 yards from their home when they were sent flying by Hegedus’s car.
He sped off after the smash and dumped the car on a dirt track. Orsos – the only member of the group who could speak English – later pretended to be him to falsely report the car as stolen. Police later arrested all four men and it emerged Hegedus had shaved off his beard to disguise his appearance.
He tested positive for cannabis, but it was not possible to say how much was in his system at the time of the impact.
Hegedus, from Oldham, was travelling at around 40mph in a 30mph zone moments before the impact. He braked but still hit the girls at 29mph.
He admitted causing death by careless driving. Orsos, Kalanyos and Peto all admitted perverting the course of justice.
Orsos was sentenced to 20 months, Peto 25 months and Kalanyos 21 months. Hegedus was also banned from driving for five years.