Watch: Arrest of speeding driver who fled UK after killing 12-year-old West Midlands boy in hit-and-run

Police bodycam footage shows the arrest of speeding driver Aleksanders Dolars who fled to Latvia after killing 12-year-old Keaton Slater in a hit-and-run collision.

Aleksanders Dolars - also known as Dolars Aleksanders - was driving a BMW at more than 70mph when he struck Keaton in Radford Road, Coventry on 14 June 2024.

The 23-year-old drove off and enquiries from West Midlands Police established he abandoned the vehicle around 20 minutes later, more than six miles away, before casually walking away.

He fled to Latvia shortly after the collision. A new extradition agreement between the UK and Latvia helped lead to him being detained.

He was flown into Gatwick Airport in August and then transported to custody in the West Midlands.

He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing and he was today (13 November) sentenced to nine years and four months imprisonment at Warwick Crown Court.

He was also banned from driving for 16 years and one month.

In a victim impact statement, which was heard in court, Keaton's mother Louise, said: "Keaton was our world. He was funny, caring, loving and full of life. He had the biggest smile and a heart full of kindness.

"He brought happiness into our home simply by being himself.

"The day Keaton was killed was the day our family stopped being whole. There are no words that can properly describe the pain of losing a child. It is heartbreak that never leaves you.

"When Keaton walked out of our door that day, we expected him to come home. We never imagined that we were watching him leave for the last time.

"It is not only Keaton who died that day. A part of all of us as a family died with him. Our lives changed forever, and nothing will ever be the same again.

"The circumstances of Keaton's death have made our grief even harder to bear.

"Knowing that the person responsible did not stop to help our son is something we will never understand. Keaton was left behind.

"I cannot understand how anyone could leave a child who had just been struck and not stop to help him.

"That knowledge has added another layer of pain to an already unbearable loss.

"He should have had the chance to grow up, fall in love, have a career, make mistakes, achieve his dreams, watch football, play football, grow old and have a family of his own. All of those possibilities were taken away from him.

"I want Keaton to be remembered for the beautiful boy he was - for his smile, his kindness, his love of football, his laughter and the love he gave to everyone around him."

Keaton's father Clint said: "The bond I had with Keaton is something that is impossible to put fully into words.

"He was a huge part of my life, my heart and my world. He was someone I loved beyond measure, and I always believed that I would have a lifetime ahead of me to watch him grow, to guide him, to laugh with him, and to make more memories with him.

"Keaton was a passionate Coventry City supporter. He loved his football and followed his team with real passion.

"His untimely death has taken away the joy he would have had seeing his beloved team reach the Premier League.

"It is another future moment that he should have been here to experience, another thing that he will never get chance to celebrate.

"Keaton was loved. He mattered. He was more than what happened to him. He was my son, my best friend, my little mini me.

"I will miss him for the rest of my life."

Detective Chief Inspector Sam Lewis, who led the investigation, said: “Keaton was a 12-year-old boy, making his way home from school, and he should have been able to arrive back safely.

“The driver was travelling at excessive speed and rather than stop and help Keaton he just left and tried to avoid capture.

“This was an extremely complex case given it spanned across borders and involved different legislation.

"We worked with a range of partners, including the CPS, to ensure we could get him back from Latvia to face justice.

"We kept fighting for Keaton and through plenty of persistence, hard work and patience we finally got there.

“We’re grateful for all the support we received during this investigation, from members of the Coventry community who provided information to the other agencies who also worked tirelessly to ensure Aleksanders could be charged with his awful crime.

“We’re especially grateful to Louise and Clint, Keaton’s brothers, and the wider family for their support during what has been a long and difficult process.

"This was always about getting justice for Keaton and together we’ve managed to do that.”