A CAREER criminal, banned from driving for life, yesterday admitted killing a six-year-old girl when he ploughed into her family's hatchback in a stolen car.

Ian Carr - branded by police a "menace to the public" - was out of jail on licence when he killed Rebecca Sawyer and critically injured her 18-month-old sister, Kirsty, in the accident at Ashington, Northumberland, on New Year's Eve.

Yesterday, it emerged that Carr, 27, received a 12-month sentence in 1991 for causing the death by reckless driving of close friend Mark Wren, 16, only a few miles from the spot where Rebecca died.

Over the years Carr, who has never held a driving licence, has collected 89 convictions. In 1998, he was jailed for six years and nine months for a string of offences, including driving while disqualified.

The latest tragedy happened when Carr was behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Astra, taken from Nevilles Cross, near Durham City. It slammed into the Sawyers' Citroen Saxo, killing Rebecca.

The force of the impact flung her sister into the road. She is still in hospital.

The girls and their father, Steven, had been returning from a relative's house when Carr and his boozed-up friends hit the Citroen as they headed for a party.

Carr fled the scene, leaving an injured accomplice to take the blame. He was arrested two days later.

The girls' parents, Steven and Sharon, both 33, were at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday to see Carr, with a graze above his right eyebrow, admit causing death by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop at an accident, failing to report an accident, driving without insurance and taking a vehicle without consent.

Carr was remanded in custody until January 31 when he will be sentenced.

He was warned by Judge David Hodson that he faces a lengthy period behind bars. The maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is ten years, but because Carr had been released on licence from his previous jail sentence, he could have the remaining two years of that added on.

The Sawyers have been living at Newcastle General Hospital as they keep a vigil at Kirsty's bedside. Doctors last night said her condition was improving and she was now stable.

Mr Sawyer said: "We are greatly relieved that the matter has been dealt with so quickly."

After the hearing, Inspector Paul Gilroy said: "He has got an appalling record, particularly for driving.

"He is a menace to the motoring public at large and the only time he will cease to be that is when he is serving a custodial sentence.

"Carr will never be able to drive lawfully but whenever he is going to be free, the likelihood is that he will drive.

"He has never expressed any direct remorse or regret for what happened on New Year's Eve."

Comment - Page 8