A motorcyclist who knocked down and killed an 11-year-old girl outside the gates of Tiffin Girls' School could have been driving at almost twice the 30mph speed limit, a court has heard.

Justin Lyon, 34, of Richmond, was jailed for two years and banned from driving for five years on Wednesday after being convicted of causing the death of 11-year-old Ekta Patel by dangerous driving.

Ekta, from Hounslow, had started at the Richmond Road school a month before she was tragically killed. She was hit as she crossed the busy road to catch a bus home at 3.45pm on October 1, 2001, and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterwards.

Lyon was also seriously injured when his yellow Triumph collided with a bus. He was admitted to intensive care at Kingston Hospital.

During the two-week trial at Kingston Crown Court the jury heard evidence from a number of expert witnesses that suggested Lyon could have been driving at speeds of around 50mph along the stretch of straight road.

The jury spent eight hours deliberating over the evidence before returning their verdict.

Speaking after the trial Sergeant Greg Page of the Hampton Traffic Unit said: "This is a desperately sad case and there can be no winners.

"Ekta's family have lost an intelligent and loving daughter. Nothing can bring her back.

"I have no doubt that Justin Lyon has genuine heartfelt remorse. His life and the life of his family will never be the same again. The motoring public must come to terms with the fact that speed kills' is not a sound bite. It is a sadly devastating fact."

Sgt Page said the introduction of traffic calming measures after the tragic accident had helped to improve safety on Richmond Road.

Parents and teachers at both Tiffin Girls' and Fern Hill primary school campaigned for extra safety measures to be introduced to prevent any more accidents.

A new pelican crossing was installed outside Tiffin Girls' in December 2001, just three months after Ekta's death, after Kingston councillors persuaded Transport for London to fast-track the scheme.

Other measures included the realignment of the bus stop outside the school to improve visibility for pedestrians and motorists and speed tables, designed to cut the speed of traffic travelling along the road.

A bench has been placed in the playground at Tiffin Girls' as a permanent memorial to Ekta.

It bears a plaque with an inscription by the poet Christina Rossetti, which says: "Remember me when I am gone away, gone far away into the silent land" as well as Ekta's name.

January 31, 2003 10:30