Robert Brown: Disqualified driver, 53, who killed young brothers in hit-and-run at twice the speed limit is jailed

Disqualified driver and serial criminal Robert Brown, 53, has been jailed at Warwick Crown Court for nine years after killing brothers Corey and Casper Platt-May, aged six and two, in a hit-and-run in Coventry.

Brown was also given a 15-year driving ban after admitting killing the youngsters as they crossed the road with their mother and brothers, after being hit by his speeding Ford Focus.

His passenger, Gwendoline Harrison, 42, was jailed for six months for assaulting a witness who tried to stop Brown, as the pair tried to flee the scene on February 22.

Robert Brown ploughed through a toddler and his older brother at double the speed limit in what police described as a “callous” act.

Brown and Gwendoline Harrison tried to escape the scene but officers said the “awesome” reaction of the public helped them detain the duo.

Police also said the guilty pleas were a result of the overwhelming evidence against the pair – who previously did all they could to evade justice.

Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes of the West Midlands Police Collision Investigation Unit said: “It was 2pm in the afternoon and there was a young family making their way to the park.

“It was a 30mph speed limit and their intention was to cross the road like everyone else does and unfortunately, as they’re crossing the road, our driver has chosen to drive at speeds… not less than 61mph in that 30mph zone.”

Describing the incident, DS Hughes said: “He has, I can only use the word, ploughed through the group, did not stop at the immediate scene… and then chose to run away, leaving Corey and Casper lying in the road.”

Speaking of how members of the public stopped Brown and Harrison from escaping, DS Hughes said: “It was an awesome reaction.

“It’s thanks to those members of the public that we have had such a quick investigation.

“You can imagine the shock from what they have just witnessed… but they didn’t just stop and stare – they helped with Corey and Casper and went after, tracked and helped us detain the two persons at the car.”

DS Brown added: “I genuinely don’t know (what Brown was thinking). The only person that knows is him.

“He knew he wasn’t supposed to be driving. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be driving at that sort of speed – especially on that type of road. It’s a callous act of an individual.”

Superintendent Richard North of Coventry’s Neighbourhood Policing Unit said: “This was a really extreme incident.

“We know that as a minimum the speed the vehicle was driving was 60mph in a 30mph zone, which is even horrific to say let alone to witness.”