Race game death drivers face jail (From Your Local Guardian)

Race game death drivers face jail

5:42pm Thursday 21st June 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

Two motorists who killed a 13-year-old cyclist while playing a high-speed game of "cat and mouse" are facing jail.

Leanne Burnell, 21, and boyfriend Leonard Jones, 42, were racing through a town centre at more than twice the 30mph speed limit when Jones struck schoolgirl Amy Hofmeister.

The teenager died and her friend Lucy Hawkins was injured in the crash, which occurred on the evening of June 15 last year.

Jones had previously admitted causing Amy's death by dangerous driving but Burnell had denied the same charge.

After a four-day trial at Taunton Crown Court, a jury of seven men and five women took just three hours and 25 minutes to find her guilty of death by dangerous driving.

Burnell showed no emotion as the jury foreman returned the verdict.

Adjourning sentencing for reports, Judge Graham Hume Jones told Burnell: "You have to come back to court to be sentenced.

"You will be told when to attend court so you must keep in contact with your solicitor. You will be given bail."

The judge warned Burnell that if she failed to attend appointments with the Probation Service for the compiling of the pre-sentence report she could be arrested and held in custody.

Burnell made no comment as she left court.