Driver jailed over crash that killed girl, four

A driver who killed a four-year-old girl in a crash as she walked home from Eid celebrations with her family has been jailed for three years and 10 months.

Javonnie Tavener had at an earlier court hearing pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving after hitting Mayar Yahia with his car in Birmingham in April 2024.

Other people were injured in the crash, over which Tavener, 23, also pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving, and causing death while driving uninsured.

At Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, after reviewing dashcam footage, the judge queried why the charge was not causing death by dangerous driving, which carries a harsher penalty.

During the sentencing hearing, the judge heard how after the crash, Tavener, of no fixed address, stayed at the scene for nine seconds before reversing, which caused Mayar to be dragged with the vehicle. He and a passenger got out of the car and left on foot, the court heard.

Mayar died at the scene.

In a statement read to the court on Friday, Mayar's father, Babiker Yahia explained how the family lived near the crash scene on Upper Highgate Street, presenting them with a "constant reminder" of the events.

"I stayed with Mayar when she was taken from the collision and transported to hospital - that night will remain with me forever," he said.

The bereave father added that Mayar was the third of four children and was "full of love, always smiling" and "kind to everyone".

He said: "Mayar's siblings were with her at the time of the collision, [they] were young and witnessed it. They have been exposed to so much trauma, and we do not know how this will shape their lives as they grow."

Of the people Tavener injured on 14 April two years ago, one of the victims remained in hospital until 9 May and required surgery. Another stayed at the same hospital until 7 May.

The court heard from the prosecution that Tavener did not call for help from the authorities. Instead, he phoned his girlfriend to collect him, which she did.

At about 22:15 BST, about an hour after the crash, Tavener returned to the scene on foot and was arrested.

Sentencing, the judge said Tavener had driven at excessive speed while trying to overtake another vehicle in a 20mph zone at night, "with cannabis in your system and using a phone".

"The victim was a vulnerable pedestrian - you were on your phone, it was a car with no insurance. You said you were a rear passenger instead of the driver. The passenger's post incident conduct was a disgraceful as yours.

"You abandoned the car at the scene, after reversing, presumably to try to leave, dragging little Mayar. You walked off calling for your girlfriend.

"The callous way in which you walked away from the mayhem was sickening to watch. You blamed a phantom driver."

The court heard that while overtaking, the front of Tavener's vehicle came into contact with the rear of the other, which us how he ended up mounting the pavement, and hitting the pedestrians.

It was dashcam footage from that other vehicle that was reviewed by the judge before sentencing.

There were audible gasps as the footage was played in court.

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm – 21 months only pleaded guilty when the case was listed for trial – 18 months sentence.

Section 39 battering offence will be dealt with concurrently sentence of 3 months

At the same hearing, Tavener, for unrelated offences, was given an additional 18 months jail term in relation to an assault, with three months to run concurrently for battering, bringing his total sentence on Friday to 64 months.

He was also banned from driving for six years.

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