Boy, six, suffered fractured skull after teen hit him with e-scooter

Boy, six, suffered fractured skull and facial injuries so bad he couldn’t look in a mirror for six weeks after lout, 17, mowed him down with electric scooter

• WARNING – GRAPHIC CONTENT: Jamie Smith, 6, was walking with his father in Leicester when he was hit by the e-scooter and suffered horrific facial injuries 
• Jamie was rushed to hospital and treated for fractured skull but is still recovering
• Family say he could not look in the mirror because he did not recognise his face 
• Teen admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving as well as string of other motoring offences and will be sentenced at Leicester Youth Court in April

A six-year-old boy was left with horrific facial injuries after a teenage lout mowed him down on an electric scooter.

Jamie Smith was walking with his father in Elston Fields, Leicester, last August, when the 17-year-old boy ploughed into him on his e-scooter.

The teenage thug fled the scene while Jamie’s distraught dad called for help.

Jamie was rushed to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham where he was treated for a fractured skull and multiple cuts and bruises.

Despite suffering life-threatening injuries, Jamie recovered but his family say he is still traumatised by the incident and suffers memory loss and is scared of going outside.

The rider was eventually caught following an appeal by Jamie’s family and friends.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted a string of charges including causing a serious injury by dangerous driving.

Pictured: Jamie Smith, 6, suffered horrific injuries including a fractured skull when he was mowed down by an e-scooter being ridden illegally by a teenage rider who then fled the scene

He also pleaded guilty to failing to stop after a road traffic collision, failing to report a road traffic collision, using a motor vehicle without insurance, using a motor vehicle without a MOT certificate and driving a vehicle otherwise in accordance with a licence.

Leicestershire Police released shocking pictures of Jamie’s injuries after the teenager appeared at Leicester Youth Court on Monday.

In a statement, Jamie’s older sister Brooklyn said: ‘Our hearts broke when we found out Jamie had been knocked over.

‘Physically and mentally we were heartbroken, and in a state of complete panic and anger.

‘The hardest part was hearing of the injuries he sustained including a fractured skull.

‘It took him six weeks after the incident to even look in a mirror because his own reflection genuinely frightened him and he didn’t recognise his own face, which was heart-breaking to see.

His family say Jamie could not look in the mirror for six weeks after the crash because he did not recognise his own face due to the injuries he had suffered and his reflection frightened him

‘My younger sister, who is eight years old, was sat in my dad’s car and was forced to see what happened and she couldn’t do anything.

‘Jamie still can’t comprehend why someone would do this to him. Accident or not this has potentially ruined my baby brother’s life and the boy who did this has shown no remorse whatsoever.

‘Since the incident Jamie has had quite bad memory loss, nightmares and an irrational fear of the outside world.

‘He overthinks everything in the worst possible scenario and has a constant fear regardless of where he is.

‘Jamie has also been out of school which has impacted his learning and concentration massively. 

Jamie has made a physical recover but his family say he is still suffering from the trauma

‘This one incident has put a huge wrecking ball in his life and it’s not just affected his face and body it’s affected his trust, his friendships and almost every aspect of his life and it is heart-breaking to see.

‘A six-year-old boy shouldn’t have to live with what he is living with, the scars may have faded but to him and us it’s still very fresh in our minds.

‘We as a family just want to wrap him up in cotton wool and we’d never wish for this to happen to anyone, let alone a poor defenceless little boy. We are broken.’

PC Kieran Dempsey, from Leicestershire Roads Policing Unit, said: ‘As this case has demonstrated, electric scooters are dangerous vehicles in the wrong hands and are currently illegal to use both on the road and in public areas.

‘Jamie was left with significant injuries which were initially believed to be life threatening.

‘Thankfully he has made a physical recovery but it was an extremely difficult time for him and his family.’

The teenage rider will be sentenced on April 12.

What is the law on riding electric scooters in the UK?

E-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), which means they are subject to all the same legal requirements including MOT, tax and licensing.

According to the Department of Transport, it is illegal to ride privately-owned electric scooters on the pavement, roads and cycle paths.

You can only ride your own e-scooter on private land, with permission from the person who owns the land. 

Privately-owned e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on the roads because they don’t always have visible rear red lights, number plates or signal ability 

Riding rental e-scooters on the roads and cycle paths became legal in the UK on July 4 last year but they are still illegal to ride on the motorway.    

Riding these scooters on pavements will also remain illegal and will only be allowed in pre-approved locations where the hiring scheme is taking place.    

E-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), which means they are subject to all the same legal requirements including MOT, tax and licensing

You must have a driving licence or a provisional driving licence and be at least 16 years old to hire an electric scooter.

They will be limited to a maximum speed of 15.5mph.

E-scooter riders caught flouting the law could face a Fixed Penalty Notice for riding with no insurance, with a £300 fine and six penalty points.

Riders could also be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for driving without a licence, up to £100 fine and three-six penalty points.

The Government is currently conducting a trial of electric, or e-scooter, rental fleets in cities across the country with a view to legalisation.

Milton Keynes and Birmingham have successfully launched the scheme and last year York City Council announced it was working with Tier Mobility to deploy 50 e-scooters in the city.

In Coventry the scheme was axed after just five days when riders flouted rules by mounting pavements.

Another pilot in Hartlepool was scrapped before it even got started. 

Up to 36 towns and cities have signed up to the Department for Transport’s 12-month scheme, which makes it legal to ride e-scooters on roads – however, they need to be rented and need to be capped at 15.5mph. 

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