12 march 2015 oxfordshire guardian witney

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Witney & Carterton edition

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Thursday, March 12 - Wednesday, March 18, 2015

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LIBERTY KILLER PLEADS GUILTY THE dad of Witney schoolgirl Liberty Baker spoke of his “complete shock” on hearing the man whose car hit and killed his daughter smoked cannabis the day before. Robert Blackwell, 19, of Hayway Lane in Weald, near Bampton, pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court on Friday to causing 14-year-old Liberty’s death by dangerous driving. “It was a complete shock,” Liberty’s dad Paul Baker said. “We thought it was the combination of the mobile phone and excessive speed, but to have cannabis as well, it made it even more devastating because it was completely avoidable - it was a combination of all three that caused Liberty’s death. “It was a violent death, and it

By Adam Flinn

adam@taylornewspapers.co.uk

shouldn’t have happened.” Prosecutor Ian Hope told the court Blackwell was distracted behind the wheel - and had received a text message before the crash. Defending, Claire Fraser said he was distracted but not by the text. Blackwell’s Citroen C2 hit Liberty and three others in Curbridge Road, Witney, on June 30 last year. Mr Hope added he was driving at 44mph in the 30mph zone and cannabis was found in Blackwell’s system after the crash. Liberty died soon after being taken to hospital, while the

three others suffered serious and minor injuries. Mr Baker added: “Every day [since Liberty’s death] has been a struggle. “When you get this type of violent death, you lose all your aspirations as well, you don’t look to the future, so it’s been really hard. “And there’s still a long way to go, there’s still a lot of grieving to go through.” Blackwell also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. During Friday’s hearing Judge Ian Pringle told Blackwell to expect a “significant prison sentence” when he returns to the court on April 16. Blackwell was released on bail and disqualified from driving.

• Liberty Baker

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12 march 2015 oxfordshire guardian witney by Taylor Newspapers - Issuu