Keaton Slater family await sentencing as court attendance law delayed
Dolars Aleksandrs admitted causing the death of 12-year-old Keaton Slater by dangerous driving and is due to be sentenced next week, but a law compelling court attendance is not yet in force.
How it was covered
- BBC One was the only channel found covering it, concentrating on family grief, the delayed sentencing and court attendance law.
- Channel 5, BBC News, BBC Two, Channel 4, GB News, ITV and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
BBC News reported that Keaton Slater was 12 when he was killed in a hit and run while walking home from school in Coventry. The BBC said his death left his mum, dad and two brothers devastated. It also reported that his family hope his killer will face court when he is sentenced next week.
Keaton's parents, Clint and Louise, spoke at their social club in Coventry. According to BBC News, they said: 'Who did this to Keaton has taken everything away from us all. And we've lost our baby boy.' The BBC reported that the family described the wait for Aleksandrs to be returned to the UK as 'a living hell'.
BBC News reported that 23-year-old Dolars Aleksandrs admitted causing death by dangerous driving and will be sentenced next week. The BBC said he was driving at more than 70mph in a 30mph zone, more than twice the speed limit, and fled to Latvia immediately after the crash. It reported that a complex two-year police investigation followed to find him and bring him back.
BBC News reported that the family have been told Aleksandrs may not appear in court. It said new laws to compel offenders to attend sentencing will not come into effect until next year. The BBC said their local MP had written to the justice minister about the case. The MP said: 'I think that is an injustice the family shouldn't have to face.'
According to BBC News, the family said they wanted Aleksandrs to hear the impact statements written by relatives and how his actions had affected them. One family member said: 'It's just seeing his face when he gets sentenced is what I want. I just want to see his reaction.' BBC News reported that the people of Coventry had given unwavering support to the Slater family since Keaton's death.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Aleksandrs was reported to have been driving over 70mph in a 30mph zone and to have fled to Latvia after the crash. | |
| Dolars Aleksandrs pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and is due to be sentenced next week. | |
| Legislation requiring offenders to attend sentencing is not expected to take effect until next year. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West carried the story as an extended report from Coventry, built around the Slater family's grief and their frustration that Dolars Aleksandrs might not attend his sentencing. The tone was sympathetic to the family and to the local community's support. It also set out the timing gap in the new law compelling offenders to attend court.
- “Who did this to Keaton has taken everything away from us all. And we've lost our baby boy.”
- “We've managed to get him back from Latvia. Why can't he be in court?”
- “It's just seeing his face when he gets sentenced is what I want. I just want to see his reaction.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.