Driver who killed two boys dies in prison

A DRUG-DRIVER who was jailed for killing two young boys died in prison on Christmas Day, it emerged yesterday.

Robert Brown, who had already been banned from driving, was travelling at more than twice the speed limit and had taken a cocktail of drugs when he mowed down Corey and Casper PlattMay, aged six and two.

He was jailed in April after admitting all charges against him, including two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, but had his sentence increased in July from nine years to 10-and-ahalf.

The children were with their mother on the way to a park when they were struck by Brown’s Ford Focus as they crossed MacDonald Road in Coventry in February.

A spokesman for Serco, which manages the prison in which Brown had been serving his sentence, said: “We can confirm a prisoner died yesterday (Christmas Day) at HMP Dovegate and, as is normal, the death will be subject to a coroner’s investigation.”

Brown, of Attwood Crescent in Wyken, Warwickshire, had never had a driving licence and was banned from driving at the time of the crash.

He had taken cocaine, diazepam and zopiclone and was driving his Ford Focus at more than 60mph in a 30mph zone on February 22 when he ploughed into the brothers.

Brown, who fled the scene, had 30 previous convictions for driving offences and had only been released from prison six days before the crash after serving half of a six-month sentence for having an offensive weapon.

His passenger at the time of the crash, Gwendoline Harrison, 42, of Triumph Close, Wyken, was jailed for six months after admitting assault intending to resist arrest and attempting to flee the scene.