‘It haunts me’: Mother tells how she spotted bag of rubbish dumped in street – only to learn it was her son, 18, dying in road after hit-and-run crash

• Marcus Simmons-Allen, 18, was killed by Connor Matthews in hit-and-run 
• Teenager was run down at nearly 70mph on George Richards Way in Altrincham
• His mother Paula Allen found Marcus lying in the road dying after the crash 
• Matthews, 23, was jailed for six years and eight months for dangerous driving 

A mother today described how she spotted what she thought was a bag of rubbish dumped in the street — only to find it was her teenage son dying in the road following a hit-and-run crash.

Council worker Paula Allen had gone out looking for Marcus Simmons-Allen, 18, after being alerted about the horror smash near their family home last October — but she ended up being first on the scene and cradled the teenager in her arms as he lay fatally injured.

Marcus had been run down at nearly 70mph on George Richards Way in Altrincham and left to die by car thief Connor Matthews, who had no driving licence and who had previously been issued with an ASBO.

Despite attempts by the victim’s mother and father to revive him, Marcus passed away in hospital the next day.

At Manchester Crown Court, Mrs Allen fought back tears as Matthews, 23, was jailed for six years and eight months. 

In a victim impact statement, she said: ‘Finding my son, that night — like a bag of rubbish fly tipped at the side of the road — haunts me.

‘I was the first person at Marcus’ side, holding him, trying to find his pulse. His lifeless body, my son dying in my arms. Time stood still. My precious son was going, fading. I found myself running into the road, stopping the traffic and screaming, pleading for anyone to help, for anyone to save him. 

Council worker Paula Allen had gone out looking for Marcus Simmons-Allen (pictured together) after being alerted about the horror smash near their family home last October

Marcus had been run down at nearly 70mph and left to die by car thief Connor Matthews (pictured), who had no driving licence and who had previously been issued with an ASBO

‘I knew he was in a bad way, really bad. As mothers we are there to love, mend, fix, provide and advise. I was now helpless trying to save my sons life. Emergency services and strangers were fighting to keep Marcus alive. As the short hours passed, we had to accept that Marcus could not and would not ever survive. That night haunts me.’

The court heard that before the tragedy, Marcus had popped out to buy a pint of milk with his friend Connor Kelly.

Both checked for oncoming cars as they were about to cross a dual carriageway, but as they set off, Matthews suddenly appeared in a VW Scirocco at high speed.

Marcus attempted to jog across the road in an attempt to get to the other side, but barely got two paces when he was hit by the vehicle.

Prosecutor David Lees said: ‘He was hit by the car and flung through the air landing some distance away. Matthews then slowed before driving off again.

‘Connor Kelly called out to a pedestrian to call the police then decided to run back to Marcus’ house to tell Ms Allen. He then ran back to the scene and stayed with his friend until the paramedics arrived.

‘Ms Allen recalls that she had just got into her car when she saw Connor in a state of panic beside her car. He shouted “Come quick, come quick it was Marcus” and she drive off looking for her son.

‘She could not see anything initially so turned the car around. It was then that she could see something that she initially thought was a bag of fly tipped rubbish on the road. To her horror she then realised that it was her son.’

Marcus attempted to jog across the road in an attempt to get to the other side, but barely got two paces when he was hit by the vehicle

The VW was found dumped a mile away and inquiries revealed it has been stolen from a house in Oldham the previous month. Matthews was arrested at a house in Liverpool five days later.

He admitted knocking down Marcus before ‘panicking’ and driving off, and also admitted causing death by dangerous driving, having no licence and insurance.

The court heard Matthews had 12 previous offences on his record including robbery, criminal damage and possessing cannabis and had been issued with an ASBO which he repeatedly ignored. He was banned from driving in 2017 for driving without insurance or a license.

In mitigation, his lawyer Dominic Thomas said: ‘The defendant is profoundly sorry and he always will be for what he has done. It has been a deeply harrowing experience for Marcus’ family and there is no possibility of putting any of that right.

‘He knows it will always be profoundly unfair he is here when Marcus is not.’

Sentencing Matthews, Judge Hilary Manley told him: ‘Marcus was just starting to find his feet in adult life and you took that life and all the promise and hope of his future from him.

‘You have never held a driving licence, but that clearly hasn’t held you back from driving when you feel like it and it didn’t stop you from making the clear decision to get behind the wheel of a powerful, stolen vehicle and to casually treat it as your own, driving to a party, and thereafter, giving a lift to a friend.

‘You were travelling very rapidly and struck Marcus with force. I you had not been driving when you were not permitted to drive, and at such a grossly excessive speed, he would be alive today.

‘Marcus’ mother had to find him where he had been flung, on the road, alone, looking like a discarded bag of garbage that had been fly-tipped.

‘By making yourself scarce, you have ensured that the police have not been able to establish whether or not you had been drinking or taking drugs at the party you attended before getting behind the wheel.’

‘Marcus’ brutal and untimely death has robbed him of his future. You have a young child but he will never know what it is to be a parent. You can look to a future that will start up again upon your release, when you are still only in your mid-twenties.

‘He has no future and his family have nothing to look forward to which will not bring with it the searing ache of his absence.’

Matthews was also banned from driving for five years which will start when he is freed.

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