Man jailed for hit and run that injured girl, 13

A man has been jailed for a hit-and-run that left a 13-year-old girl with such serious injuries that her family said she had to relearn how to walk, talk and eat.

Mervyn Boreland, of Icknield Street in Birmingham, was sentenced to three years in jail at Birmingham Crown Court on 1 May.

West Midlands Police said the teenager was hit by a speeding car while crossing Holly Lane, in the Erdington area of Birmingham, at 17:20 BST on 27 May 2023.

The police added that forensic examinations showed Boreland had been driving at speeds of 64-67mph, despite Holly Lane having a 30mph speed limit.

Boreland pleaded guilty to one charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving on 20 March at Birmingham Magistrates' Court.

In a statement released by police, the girl's relatives said that "our perfect family life changed forever" on the day of the crash.

They added that the teenager had "to learn how to talk, walk, eat, drink, swallow, sleep" in the months afterwards.

"Watching your child struggle every single day, just to do the bare minimum that we take for granted, is heart-breaking," the family said.

West Midlands Police said they had appealed for witnesses and carried out CCTV enquiries after the crash, which led them to identify a black Volkswagen Golf as the vehicle involved.

The force later identified Boreland as the driver and he was charged in March this year.

The police said the girl's injuries were "life-changing" and her life would never be the same due to their impacts.

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