Teenager sentenced for crash that killed girl, 7

Katniss Seleznev died after she was hit by a motorbike in Walsall in July 2023

A teenager who was riding a stolen motorcycle at speeds of up to 52mph has been sentenced for causing the death of a seven-year-old girl in a hit-and-run crash.

Katniss Seleznev was severely injured when she was hit as she played in the street near her home in Turnstone Road, Walsall, in July last year.

A 15-year-old boy, who cannot legally be named, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Wolverhampton Crown Court in April.

He was sentenced to five years and four months detention on Wednesday.

He will serve half of his sentence in detention, before being released on licence.

In a statement read out to court, Katniss's father said she was a "dream child" who had been "left to die like an animal in the street."

Katniss had been riding a scooter and was playing outside with her twin brother and her older sister when she was hit on the 30mph residential road on 27 July 2023.

The seven-year-old was thrown about 20m before landing, with members of the public rushing to administer CPR as the emergency services were called, the court heard.

Katniss's mother Lina, who listened to proceedings through a Bulgarian interpreter, cried quietly as a clip was played showing her youngest daughter flying through the air after the crash.

The boy, who was 14 at the time, failed to stop before hiding the bike, which was later found burnt in some bushes.

Prosecutor Robert Price told the court that the teenager had also been convicted of taking a vehicle without the owner's consent and driving without insurance a month before the fatal crash.

Defending, Robert Cowley said the boy had a difficult upbringing and was developmentally immature for his age but had shown remorse after the crash by submitting an early guilty plea.

"At his age, facing an offence this serious, I think that took real courage on his part and shows he is able now to demonstrate some maturity," he added.

'Full of joy'

Judge Michael Chambers KC said he could not begin to imagine the impact Katniss's death had on the family.

He told the boy: "It is fair to say that you were upset after the collision and I accept you are remorseful, but it was the police who came to you, not the other way round."

Katniss's father Bojil described his daughter as "full of joy" in a written statement.

The court heard that Katniss and her twin brother were born after the couple "fought for five years" through multiple miscarriages and IVF rounds.

"Time isn't going to heal this loss. We shouldn't have outlived our child," he added.