A "cowardly" driver who downed pints of lager before leaving a 10-year-old girl to die in the road after a fatal hit-and-run sobbed as he was arrested.
Video shows Connor Marsden, 24, holding his head in his hands and breaking down in the back of a police car as he's told his actions killed Melissa Tate in Kenton, Newcastle.
In the footage Marsden slumps over and cries as a police officer tells him "you're now under arrest for death by dangerous driving ."
He mutters "no" when the officer adds "you're under arrest because your actions have killed somebody."
Marsden was jailed for for seven years and four months yesterday after admitting causing the schoolgirl's death by dangerous driving at a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court in October.
An emotional statement from Melissa's family spoke of how they would never have the chance to see their little girl get married or having children and how that tears them apart.
"We will never get over that pain," they said.
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Marsden had been drinking on the afternoon of September 25 and was driving with no licence or insurance when he hit Melissa. He had been drinking at a social club less than two hours before the collision.
Instead of trying to save her life, he continued to drive away before abandoning the vehicle nearby and fleeing on foot.
Melissa was rushed to hospital by paramedics but sadly died in hospital the next day, despite the heroic efforts of medical staff.
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Mark Guiliani, prosecuting, said he was travelling at around 47mph in a 20mph zone, was aware he had hit the girl and fled the city, hiding in Easington, County Durham.
Mr Guiliani said a witness saw Marsden afterwards, saying: "He described him as off his face, incoherent."
Marsden was charged with a series of offences including causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of the collision.
The 24-year-old, of Kenton, pleaded guilty to all counts on his first appearance at Newcastle Crown Court on October 28.
Yesterday he was jailed at the same court while Melissa’s devastated family watched on from the public gallery.
Marsden was also handed an eight year four month driving ban.
A heartbreaking statement released by Melissa's family following Marsden's sentencing said: "Connor Marsden may have pleaded guilty to this case and spared us the ordeal of a trial but that has offered us no comfort.
"He drove off from the scene that day and left our little girl to die in the road instead of stopping to try and help save her life.
"The sentence handed to him today does not make us feel better. No jail term would ever be enough for us or our family.
"He will eventually be able to leave prison and he will get a second chance to live his life. That does not seem fair to us when he has robbed Melissa of her life.
"Not a day goes past that we don’t think of Melissa or think of the beautiful, successful woman we knew she would grow in to.
"We will never see her get married or have children and that still tears us apart every single day. We will never get over that pain.
"No parent should have to outlive their child and no parent should ever have to bury their child.
"The only comfort we have got from this case is the overwhelming support from the public who have rallied around us at this difficult time.
"The kind messages we have received about Melissa since her death have only confirmed what we knew. She was a special girl who touched everyone she met.
"We now have to try to keep fighting for Melissa and move on with our lives but we will never, ever forget her.
"I hope that Connor Marsden truly understands what he has done to our family and I hope the guilt of taking Melissa from us lives with him forever."
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