Child '360 somersaulted' over stolen car after drug dealer ploughed into him while he was crossing London Road in Kettering

The victim even gave a weak thumbs up to the police officers that watched on in horror as they followed the stolen car in London Road, Kettering.

Drug dealer Charlie Stray was behind the wheel, and he drove straight off from the incident, stopping at the railway station and running across the tracks with his teenage passenger.

Stray was at Northampton Crown Court for sentence yesterday (Tuesday, November 12) after admitting a string of charges against him.

Prosecutor Ben Gow told the court how CCTV operators had spotted the stolen Vauxhall Astra in Linden Avenue at about 3.30pm on Saturday, April 27 this year, and police gave chase.

As Stray drove the car down St Mary’s Road he began to move over on to the wrong side of the road, turning into oncoming traffic in London Road.

At the same time a 15-year-old boy was crossing the hatched area from St Edward’s Church to the Cemetery.

Stray turned right and ploughed straight into him.

Mr Gow said: “He came around the corner and hit him, throwing him into the air. He did a 360 degree somersault over the car. He was able to get away with cuts and bruises and whiplash.”

He landed in a seated position and staggered unsteadily back to his feet, giving the following police officers a thumbs up gesture to suggest he was OK.

The entire incident was caught on the police car dash cam.

Stray then drove off, parking up at the railway station and running across the tracks to try to escape police.

Officers soon caught up with him and found 13 wraps of heroin in his sock. On his mobile phone were messages telling drug users he could ‘wash some up’ for them – create crack from cocaine.

In a victim personal statement, the boy told the court how he had to sit his GCSE exams a few weeks later while in pain from his back, neck and tailbone.

Mr Gow said: “He feels anxious and he now struggles to go out on his own.

"At the time he was revising for his GCSEs. He missed all of his masterclasses as he was bedridden due to the injures.

"He was in pain during his exams and had to have breaks. He couldn’t keep his head down for more than five minutes.”

The boy has also fallen behind in his hobby of karate and missed a black belt grading.

“He feels that, technically, he should be dead,” said Mr Gow.

"He’s consumed by the what ifs.”

Stray, 23, was on licence for two previous offences at the time of the incident. He had previously been given 43 months in jail for robbery and 18 months for possession of Class-A drugs with intent to supply them.

He was recalled to prison after his arrest and was not due to be released until 2026.

In mitigation, the court was told how Stray, of no fixed abode in Wellingborough, had been a long-term heroin user.

Barrister Isabella Glendinning said: “He was recently out of prison. He made no financial gain from drug dealing – his habit was being fed.”

She said her client used five wraps of heroin each day.

"He had the worst possible start in life,” she said, adding that his dad had also been a drug dealer.

Stray, who appeared via videolink from HMP Peterborough, was then allowed to read a letter he had written to the court.

He said: “I will not make any excuses. I am deeply sorry for my victim and his family.”

He said his mental health was ‘out of control’ and that he was using heroin as a method of self-destruction, adding: “I don’t like the person I was and I am still not the person I want to be.

"I am so sorry and I know this doesn’t change anything but it’s heartfelt and I mean it. I will never forgive myself for becoming that person.

"Your honour, please do not give up on me because I have not given up on myself.”

Stray admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply drugs, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and dangerous driving.

Recorder Jacob Hallam said: “The impact on your victim has been profound.

“It’s had a real effect on his daily life and affected his ability to perform in his GCSEs.

"You didn’t stop, you just drove off. Your driving falls into the worst category for dangerous driving.

"Drugs kill. They kill their users, they can be the catalyst for crime against members of the community that can also result in death. They cause widespread disruption to our communities with people committing other crimes to support their habits.”

Stray was given 22 months in prison for the assault and 13 months for the dangerous driving offence to run concurrently.

He was given 53 months for each of the drug offences, to run concurrently but consecutively to the 22 month sentence.

His total sentence was six years and three months in prison, of which he will serve half.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years after the date of his release and will be subject to a proceeds of crime act hearing that will consider confiscating any of the profits from his criminal activity.

Separate charges of driving while over the legal drug drive limit and without insurance will be dealt with by the magistrates’ court at a later date.