I’ve felt lost and empty ever since, said mum
HE WAS the teenager who has been described as “exceptionally kind and considerate” who brought “a great sense of humour” to his family.
Calum Warrilow, aka Dowers, died when Kenneth Wallace sped along the A1 while he was distracted looking at his mobile phone.
Wallace, 53, hit Calum’s moped while going at 90mph and sped from the scene.
Calum died moments later when he was hit by an articulated lorry but Lincoln Crown Court heard that Wallace should have stoped and potentially save the teenager’s life
He was jailed for fourand-a-half years.
In a statement issued through Lincolnshire Police, Kerry Dowers paid tribute to her son.
“Calum was normally home with us by 11.30pm, but even before this I felt something wasn’t right.
“Around 1am we had a knock at the door and my heart just sank.
“I’ve felt lost and empty ever since, and it hasn’t got any easier for us.
“My son Calum was an exceptionally kind and con- siderate young man and I was incredibly proud of him. He was the type of person that would always look out for others and he decided that he would put this to use by pursuing a career in the RAF as a medic.
“He was too young to enlist for this, but it was his aspiration and was studying hard to make this a reality alongside working at a garden centre.
“He kept himself fit and active with kickboxing that he went to with his stepfather, Dave, and had a real passion for music too. Drake was his favourite artist and he’d always be listening to him in his room.
“He also brought a great sense of humour to our family and I know he loved us all as much as we loved him.
“His stepfather, his sister Kia, half brothers Sean and Danny and his half sister Lili-Maye and I miss him dearly and there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think about Calum.
“My son also adored his girlfriend Chloe, who he spent a lot of his free time with, and he had very close friends in another Chloe and Conner.
“This still doesn’t feel like it is really happening to us, but we do want to see justice for Calum who shouldn’t have been taken away from us.
“Calum you were the best son I could have hoped for, truly missed by all, and we will always love you.”
Simon Heads, head of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit for East Midlands Operational Support Services, said after Wallace was jailed: “This is an extremely sad case in which a young man has lost his life. Wallace accepts that he was driving erratically, in a poor emotional state and using his mobile phone. This resulted in Calum being knocked from his vehicle, putting him in extreme danger.
“The defendant’s decision not to stop and aid Calum on the ground is morally reprehensible. I would like to thank the motorists that did stop at the scene and did the right thing – their information helped us bring this man to justice quicker.
“While nothing can bring Calum. back, I hope this sentence helps his family to feel some sense of justice and over time provides them some comfort.
“This case should send out a strong message to anyone who continues to use their mobile phones despite the harsher penalties for doing so. It is also a reminder not to get behind a wheel when your mental state is overwhelming.
“Please be responsible – we do not want this happening to someone else’s son.”