The driver of a stolen car which smashed into a family hatchback killing a six-year-old girl, has admitted causing her death by dangerous driving.

On Friday it emerged that banned driver Ian Carr, 27, from Ashington, Northumberland, was previously jailed for causing another road death in 1991.

He spent a year in prison after causing the death by reckless driving of a 16-year-old passenger in a stolen car he had been driving.

Rebecca Sawyer died after the car her father was driving was hit by Carr's stolen Vauxhall Astra on New Year's Eve.

Carr was jailed for causing a road death in 1991

Rebecca's 18-month-old sister, Kirsty, is still in hospital after suffering serious injuries in the crash.

The girls' parents Steven and Sharon, both 33, were at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday for the brief hearing into the crash.

Carr admitted causing death by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident, driving without insurance and taking a vehicle without consent.

Carr limped into court for the hearing to plead guilty just 10 days after the fatal crash.

Paul Caulfield, defending, told the court: "We take the view in the circumstances of this case it would not be necessary for there to be a preliminary hearing in the conventional sense and the court can move directly to plea and directions."

The six charges were then put to Carr, who replied "guilty" to each count.

She was a great kid, a beautiful kid, a really happy child and I will never see her again Sharon Sawyer

Judge David Hodson told him: "For offences of this nature, there can be just one sentence, and that is a substantial term of imprisonment."

No application for bail was made and the defendant was remanded in custody to appear for sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court on 31 January.

'Custodial sentence'

On behalf of the family, police Inspector Paul Gilroy said afterwards: "Mr and Mrs Sawyer are greatly relieved that the matter has been dealt with today, and they do not have to face a long trial.

"They are very encouraged by the words of the judge in relation to the custodial sentence."

At a news conference after the tragedy Mr and Mrs Sawyer paid tribute to Rebecca, saying: "She was a great kid, a beautiful kid, a really happy child and I will never see her again."

Mr Sawyer added: "She talked too much and that was her only fault. She was a smashing kid."

Mrs Sawyer, a 33-year-old nurse at Wansbeck General Hospital, said Rebecca was "like a little mother" to Kirsty.

Hospital staff were unable to resuscitate Rebecca, who died from her injuries at 0005 GMT on New Year's Day