Hospital detention for woman driver who fled after killing boy

A mother of twins was given a hospital detention order today for causing the death of a boy by dangerous driving as he walked home from church.

Hannah Saaf, 28, fled after mounting the pavement in her car and killing Sam Riddall, 11. Police found her nine days later in a Somerset field where she was sleeping in a barn.

Saaf, who had pleaded guilty, sobbed during the Bristol crown court hearing, watched by Sam's parents Martin and Rachel. The court heard that she was driving at twice the speed limit, at least 61mph, before she tried to stop.

Judge Simon Darwall-Smith gave her an indefinite term in hospital under the Mental Health Act but said no sentence could compensate for such a loss. He said Saaf would have faced "a very substantial custodial sentence" were it not for her mental state. Mr Riddall said outside court: "This is going to be our first Christmas without our Sam. It's going to be very hard because we still miss him very much.

"At Christmas we remember that God sent his son Jesus into the world to bring peace. It's the same God who is giving us the strength and helping us to forgive Hannah for the terrible thing she has done to us by killing our son. But it's not easy, it's not going to be easy."