James Davis' jail term increased for Brownhills baby crash death

A man who mounted the pavement in his uninsured car and killed an 18-day-old baby in his pram has had his sentence increased by Court of Appeal judges.

Baby Ciaran Morris was being pushed in his pram by his parents for the first time when James Davis careered into them in Brownhills, West Midlands.

The 36-year-old was jailed for six-and-a-half-years in April last year.

Judges increased the term to 10 years and said there were "multiple significant additional factors".

At his trial in March, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Davis, who was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, collided with another car and mounted the pavement hitting the family.

He fled the scene of the crash, in April 2021, telling a passer-by he had "killed a baby".

A victim impact statement from Ciaran's mother, Codie Holyman, who suffered a broken collarbone in the crash, and father Cameron Morris, was described as "utterly harrowing".

Davis, who was also convicted of driving without insurance, claimed he blacked out from a coughing fit and could not remember what happened.

At the appeal court, Oliver Glasgow QC, for the Attorney General, argued the sentencing judge had failed to properly consider some factors that increased the seriousness of the crime, including Davis' excessive speed before the collision occurred.

Davis, of Croxtalls Avenue, Walsall, must have been using his phone at the time, he said, as he "swerved from one lane into another" making no attempt to brake or avoid the collision.

"The offender was simply not looking at where he was going," he said.

Charles Crinion, for Davis, argued he was driving at the speed limit by the time of impact.

But Lady Justice Carr, sitting with Mr Justice Fraser and Judge Deborah Taylor, found the trial judge had fallen into error.

"A term of around seven years should have been the platform from which to consider additional aggravating and mitigating factors," Lady Justice Carr said.

"We consider there were multiple significant additional factors... A custodial term of 10 years was warranted."

Attorney General, Suella Braverman QC, said she welcomed the news.

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