Girl, 14, is mown down by speeding driver who had been smoking pot

Victim: Lillian Groves was playing with her brother when she was killed
Kirsty Whalley12 April 2012

A teenager was killed after being hit by a speeding driver who had been smoking cannabis, it was revealed today.

Now the parents of Lillian Groves have urged a clampdown on drivers who get behind the wheel while they are high on drugs and want police to increase spot checks and introduce road-side testing.

Lillian, 14, was killed by landscape gardener John Page who admitted he had been smoking cannabis. Police also found a half-smoked joint in his car.

Page admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to eight months in jail in July. The judge at Croydon crown court said he would serve half that time.

Lillian's mother Natasha Groves, 42, said: "I feel that Lillian has been let down. This sends out the message that you can do what you like and get away with it."

Lillian was playing in her front garden, in New Addington, Croydon, with her 11-year-old brother Olly when she went into the road to fetch a ball. Page was travelling at 43mph in a 30mph zone.

Mrs Groves said: "I heard two thuds, I turned around and started to run for the road with Gary
[Lillian's father] following me. Olly was standing in the front garden, his face was red and he was just screaming and screaming.

"Lil was lying across the footpath with blood pouring from her ear."

"Gary cradled her in his arms crying as he said: 'Lil stay with me, please don't go.'

"A line has to be drawn somewhere and we are drawing it at Lillian. The Government needs to send out a clear message that drug-driving is being taken seriously."

Page, 36, from Croydon, avoided a charge of driving while under the influence of drugs, which carries a 14-year sentence, because only traces of the drug were found in his blood.

However, he was not tested until nine hours after the accident in June last year. Lillian's family believe that if he had been tested at the scene he would have been found unfit to drive.

They were shocked to discover that although police can use roadside drug testing equipment, they do not have access to it and there is no legislation to support its use.

In June, during the Association of Chief Police Officers drink and drug driving campaign, just 337 drivers were tested for drugs compared with 88,629 who were breathalysed for alcohol.

Police arrested 122 drivers for drug driving - 36 per cent of those tested.

Lillian's family have started an e-petition and are determined to get the 100,000 signatures they need for the Government to take notice.

They have won the support of local Conservative MP Gavin Barwell and are working with the road safety charity Brake.

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