THE hit-and-run driver who left six-year-old Leonie Shaw to die in the road must have known his brakes were useless, police revealed last night.

Colin Meek, 34, had only five per cent of one brake working on his powerful Rover when he ploughed into little Leonie near her home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Meek, of Salvin Street, Spennymoor, was due to stand trial at Leeds Crown Court yesterday, but changed his plea and admitted causing her death by dangerous driving. He now faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.

Outside court, police described how Meek had pulled his handbrake on before slamming on his footbrake in a bid to avoid hitting Leonie.

Inspector Dave Hammond, of Durham Police, who led the inquiry and subsequent manhunt for drug user Meek, said that an accident investigation consultant had been due to give evidence at the trial.

"He deduced that had the brakes been working efficiently, he probably wouldn't have hit Leonie let alone caused her any injuries," said Insp Hammond.

"Our belief is that he knew the brakes were defective."

Meek fled with his 21-year-old girlfriend, Emma Jane Lee, in the car after the accident on the A688 on April 13.

Leonie, known as Lollie, was taken to hospital with head, leg and internal injuries, but died a few hours later with her mother, Michelle Aldworth, at her bedside.

Police took the unusual step of naming Meek as they launched a manhunt. He was eventually found at a house in Middlesbrough after a tip-off from a member of the public.

In court yesterday, Leonie's 33-year-old mother watched tearfully as an emotionless Meek finally pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, failure to stop and failure to report an accident, driving without insurance and not having a full driving licence.

After the short hearing and too upset to speak, she stood looking distraught alongside Insp Hammond who said that Meek changing his plea to guilty had been the only "decent" thing he had done.

"They (the family) are extremely relieved that they're not going to go through the ordeal of a five-day trial. They have suffered enough since April," he said.

"She (Michelle) is hoping now to put her ordeal behind her and start to move forward. She would like to thank everyone for the support she has had since that tragic day in April."

He said Meek had convictions for violence and a taste for heroin.

Meek told police that he fled the scene because he was shocked and upset and that his girlfriend's daughter - who was a friend of Leonie's - was in the car crying.

"But it's still no excuse for driving away and leaving the scene," said Insp Hammond.

Hundreds of flowers were left at the scene where Leonie died. She had two sisters, Jade, ten, and Emily, three, and the family lived only a few hundred yards away from the scene of the accident.

Leonie had been at a play park with friends and was crossing the A688 to get to a sweet shop.

Meek's girlfriend, Emma Lee, was jailed for two months in May after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting a failure to stop after an accident.

At her court hearing, magistrates heard that Lee had told Meek to "get us out of here fast" after he had initially stopped at the scene. Lee had recognised Leonie as one of her daughter's playmates.

Judge Peter Fox yesterday remanded Meek in custody and adjourned the case for three weeks for the preparation of pre-sentence reports. He will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court.