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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Aaron Curran & Graeme Murray

Girl who saw little sister hit and killed by speeding driver 'suffers daily with PTSD'

A schoolgirl who watched as her little sister was hit and killed by a speeding driver now "suffers daily" with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Courtney Ellis, 14, was run over by Brandon Turton, who was driving at 93mph in a 30mph zone, in September 2020.

A court heard the teenager from Haydock, Liverpool, died instantly after being struck by the 21-year-old's Renault Megane.

Courtney's mum Angela says the impact of the horror accident has taken its toll on her older daughter Morgan.

She told the Liverpool Echo : "My oldest baby witnessed it and she suffers daily with PTSD symptoms and with her mental health, I wish I could take her pain away but I can't, I can only be there for her despite my daily pain and heartbreak too.

Courtney Ellis (R) was hit and killed by Brandon Turton who was driving at 93mph in a 30mph zone (Merseyside Police)

"I just want to do at least one important thing so that future families don't have to go through the same problem as me and my family."

Turton, of Newton-le-Willows, had been driving around the area "just for something to do" and met a silver Vauxhall Astra being driven by Oliver McIntosh in a car park.

Fifteen minutes before the incident, the two cars "set off in convoy" and completed a high speed circuit of nearby roads while "competing with each other".

Turton was given six years and nine months in prison and a seven-year driving ban last month at Liverpool Crown Court.

Courtney Ellis from Haydock, Liverpool, died instantly after Turton hit the 21-year-old's Renault Megane (Merseyside Police)
The impact of Courtney's horror accident has taken on her older daughter Morgan (Merseyside Police)

Angela feels the seven-year driving ban is not enough and is campaigning for anyone who causes death by dangerous driving to receive a lifetime ban.

She said: "I don't want her death to have been for nothing. Imagine seeing the killer who is responsible for taking your child away from you in a horrific way driving around like nothing had happened, it's like rubbing it into my face.

"Driving is one of life's luxuries and it comes with rules and regulations so if this is abused in this way then this luxury should be taken away from them for life.

"All I have left of my Courtney is a box of ashes, photos, her clothes, some of her hair, her handprint from the night she passed.

"I miss my girl so much and I really need to succeed in this for her if it's the only thing I can do for her and for me and my family and for future families that unfortunately may go through this too."

A petition to impose a lifetime ban on anyone convicted of causing death by dangerous has since been set up to increase the period of sentences.

Last year the Mirror reported on how Courtney's grandad went numb after being told of the teenager's death.

David Ellis has said his family "will never be the same again".

Courtney's grandad Paul, little brother Roman, big sister Morgan, mum Angela Burke and little sister Harper (unknown)

David, 67, said: "I was watching Britain's Got Talent, my wife was upstairs watching her programmes and next minute I get a phone call saying 'you better get down here, Courtney's been ran over. The police are here and the ambulance are here.'

"We were devastated. I just went numb. I phoned my son and he was heartbroken.

"We couldn't put words to it, it's just horrible, even to this day. My wife, my son - it's just an ongoing thing. We've never been the same since.

"My son will never be the same again, we'll never be the same again. It's just heartbreaking all the time, any time you think about it.

"She was 14 years of age, you can't get your head around it. When she died a part of us all died as well."

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