To a drunk driver behind the wheel of a delivery truck who killed a 15-year-old, her sister said today, “You didn’t just kill Georgia … you killed the family.”
Benjamin Henley has now been sentenced to seven years in prison and a nine and a half year ban on driving.
Georgia Mann died after the stranded car she was rider in was hit on an access road in Bobbing near Sittingbourne
Henley of Illustrious Close, Chatham admitted killing Georgia Mann from dangerous driving and seriously injuring two others on October 24, 2018.
His sentence was delayed after the driver of an Audi that Georgia had traveled on was charged with causing her death by negligent driving while driving his car on a driveway on the lane towards Sheppey in Bobbing, near Sittingbourne, ran out of fuel.
A jury at Maidstone Crown Court then acquitted Audi driver Andre Trenton from Malvern Road, Gillingham.
At the same court today, Henley heard from Georgia’s sister, Samantha Law, who told him, “Our jewel has been stolen from us by the reckless, unnecessary actions of two people.
“Our family has suffered from two irresponsible people who caused the death of our beautiful Georgia, a young girl who had a bright future ahead of her.”
She said the teenager was a “bubbly, caring girl; she would do anything for anyone, stand up for what she thought was right”.
“Our family has suffered from two irresponsible individuals …”
She shared how a number of people turned to the family who are grateful that Georgia, as an organ donor, has helped several people – including a 10-year-old boy.
Attorney Peter Forbes revealed how Georgia had traveled in the car owned by Mr. Trenton, who was with Sinead Hayes, whose sister had been Mrs. Mann’s best friend. Both were passengers in the car.
The car ran out of fuel, and Trenton then went to a nearby garage for fuel – after leaving husband and wife Hayes in the battered vehicle.
When he got back and was pouring the gas in the car, Henley’s VW Caddy came around the corner, then plowed into the Audi and threw Mr Trenton in the air.
Mr. Trenton then landed in the middle of the busy A249 dual carriageway.
Georgia Mann was 15 when she died
Mr Forbes revealed how the police saw the consequences in a passing car and Mr Trenton was in the way of an oncoming truck and the officer ran in both lanes to reach him.
“He got Mr. Trenton’s head out of the way and then found Mrs. Hayes and Georgia passed out in the Audi.”
Georgia was flown to Kings College Hospital in London but died of multiple injuries 36 hours later, at 11:17 a.m. on October 26.
At the scene, Henley became “massively argumentative” and refused to be handcuffed and asked the officers, “Why are you arresting me and not her?
The prosecutor said Henley obscured his words and said, “I just drove into her ****” denying that he was doing anything wrong.
Images of a monument to Georgia. Image: John Westhrop
“He said to the policeman, ‘I hit a **** in the ****. You don’t know ****, do you?” revealed the prosecutor. “When he was later inhaled, tests showed he was more than two and a half times above the alcohol limit.”
Henley’s sister Eleanor Bullimore told the judge, “He is not a bad person” when she asked for mercy for his “unforgivable acts”.
Trevor Wright defended himself, saying that no one who listened to the details of the incident and the impact it had on the family could not help but be moved.
“The incident happened three years ago, but for (Georgia’s) family it could have been three days, three hours, three minutes ago.”
He added that Henley felt deep remorse for his actions and understood the family’s feelings as “deep bitterness, anger and a sense of betrayal.”
Judge Charles Gratwicke, who detained him, told Henley that his post-death behavior was “shameful”.
And he denied his claim that he only had two or three pints before the crash.
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