Youth who struck seven-year-old Katniss was travelling on stolen bike at speeds up to 52mph just before the crash

The schoolgirl died of significant injuries as a result of the collision which happened in motorbike in Turnstone Road, Harden near the Blakenall area of the town on July 27 last year.

The 15-year-old responsible for the fatal collision pleaded guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving the offence at Wolverhampton Youth Court on Wednesday.

Mr Simon Brownsey, senior prosecutor, told the hearing that CCTV footage in the area captured the girl being flung through the air and landing on the road where another child ran to her aid. The defendant fled from the scene to neighbouring Coalpool on the Suzuki where he was recorded saying the girl he hit was now "a vegetable".

West Midlands Police collision investigators estimated the bike was being driven at speeds between 48mph-52mph when it was 33 yards away from Katniss who was riding her tricycle along a normally quiet residential street.

Mr Brownsey said he carried out a review of the available closed circuit footage in the vicinity of the tragic crash.

"At 7.06pm on July 27 a fatal road traffic collision happened in Turnstone Road. At the time of that collision it was daylight, the weather was dry, visibility was good. A blue Suzuki 125 motorcycle that was reported stolen in June was travelling north.

"The motorcycle collided with Katniss Seleznev. She was seven-year-old. At the time she was riding on a children's three-wheeler scooter. The key CCTV in Turnstone Road showed there were a number of children in a side road.