A SCHOOLGIRL who died in a horrific road crash last year was unlawfully killed, a coroner has ruled.

Elizabeth Stevens, 14, of Lordshill, Southampton, died of multiple injuries when the car in which she was a passenger collided with a wall in Rownhams.

The 17-year-old driver of the car appeared at the Winchester inquest handcuffed to a prison officer.

He was sentenced to three and a half years in a youth detention centre after being found guilty of causing the death of the former Millbrook Community School pupil by dangerous driving. He cannot be named for legal reasons.

PC Tony Johnson investigated the crash at the junction of Rownhams Lane and St John's Glebe on October 6, 2001.

He told yesterday's inquest that it was most likely the Vauxhall Astra had gone out of control because it was going too fast. He calculated the car had been driven between 46 and 52mph.

PC Mark Furze said he was in a patrol car when he was told about the accident and went to the scene within a few minutes. The driver, PC Furze added, said he was not the owner and he didn't know who was. He asked if the girl in the car was all right. The officer arrested him. The driver then said: "Is she dead? What will I get for this? About 20 years?"

Parminder Atwal said in a statement that he parked his car in Wilton Avenue, behind his shop, Chunky's in North Baddesley on October 5. When he returned the following afternoon, it had gone.

Central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short said the driver of the car had admitted taking it from behind the shops. It had no defects. When he drove south on Rownhams Lane it had been raining. Mr Short said: "I accept that it was wet and that was a factor in what happened. He accepts he was driving at 45mph and that fits with what PC Johnson calculated.

"Once the car started to move sideways in the road I think the driver's lack of experience in driving on roads was a factor in his inability to recover control of the car. The fact that the car went across the road and collided with the wall led to Elizabeth's death. I think it is likely she died almost immediately at the scene."

After the inquest Elizabeth's father John, 53, of Fulmar Close, Lordshill, said: "She was a typical 14-year-old, full of life and a lot to live for. This year has been hell for us. What really hurts me is that for a whole year and a bit there has been no remorse from this man and his parents. No apology. It's had a tremendous impact on our family and friends."

Elizabeth's sister, Mary, 24, said: "There is one good thing that may come out of this - that people thinking about stealing cars should consider that their actions could cause a death."