Man told he faces jail over crash death of girl, 9

A man has been warned he faces jail after pleading guilty to causing the death by dangerous driving of a nine-year-old girl.

Alice Williams died in hospital three days after Qadeer Hussain struck her on a pedestrian crossing as he was driving a Vauxhall Corsa down King Cross Street in Halifax on 8 July 2023, Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday.

After his plea, Judge Sophie McKone imposed an interim driving ban on Hussain, who the court was told had no previous convictions, and ordered the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Granting him bail until a sentence hearing on 2 May, the judge told Hussain, 55, of Essex Street, Halifax, he faced an inevitable prison sentence for the offence.

Soheil Khan, Hussain's barrister, said his client "knows the tragedy in which his actions ended will mean an immediate custodial sentence".

Following Alice's death, her family issued a statement describing her as "a bright, loving and beautiful girl who brought joy every day to family and friends".

She was described by her school's headteacher as a girl who was "gentle, kind-hearted and full of smiles".

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