A LITTLE girl saw her friend knocked down by her mother's boyfriend before he drove off and left the youngster, a court heard yesterday.

Leonie Shaw, six, died after colliding with a car, which had just five per cent of one brake working, near her home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Emma Jane Lee, 21, and her four-year-old daughter were in the Rover car, driven by Lee's boyfriend, Colin Meek, 34, when it was involved in a collision with Leonie.

Yesterday, Lee was jailed for two months for her part in what took place.

Sedgefield Magistrates' Court sitting in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, heard that Meek stopped the car and got partly out.

But, after Lee shouted for him to "get us out of here fast" he got back in the car and drove away, leaving Leonie fatally injured.

The court was told that Lee's daughter had played with Leonie and that was why she urged Meek to drive away.

Bill Brabben, prosecuting, said: "They set off in the vehicle down the Bishop Auckland bypass. It appears that as they approached the location, the six-year-old girl sadly and tragically ran in front of the vehicle.

"One can only assume that, because of the defective nature of the brakes, the driver was unable to stop and avoid a collision.

"A collision did occur, but he was able to bring the vehicle to a stop.

"Evidence indicates that Mr Meek got out of the car and walked over to the child.

"Emma Lee remained in the vehicle with her daughter. It appears at that time Emma Lee realised both she and her four-year-old daughter knew the young victim."

Mr Brabben said the children were playmates. When Lee's daughter saw what had happened she became hysterical.

"Emma Lee, in her own admission, shouted to Colin Meek words to the effect 'get us out of her fast'.

"Colin Meek thereupon, without remaining at the scene and rendering assistance to the child, got back in the vehicle and promptly drove away," said Mr Brabben.

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

A friend reached the central reservation, but as Leonie tried to cross she was involved in a collision with the car.

The youngster was taken to Bishop Auckland General Hospital with head, leg and internal injuries but died a few hours later with her mother, Michelle, 32, at her bedside.

The car was found in Middlesbrough the day after the accident. Engineers found three of its brakes were not working at all and the fourth had just five per cent efficiency.

Two days later, Lee was found at a house in Middlesbrough.

Yesterday Lee, of Spennymoor, County Durham, appeared for sentence after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting a failure to stop after an accident.

Alan Green, mitigating, said she had only wanted to move away from the accident to the nearest roundabout.

He said: "At the end of the day, this defendant was not responsible for the accident. She did not have control of the vehicle.

"The circumstances of this offence make it a moral situation, where you have to face up to the fact that you have been involved in this and have to be accountable for this."

Hundreds of flowers were placed at the spot where Leonie died.

She had two sisters, Jade, ten, and Emily, three. They lived just a few hundred yards from the scene of the accident.

Colin Meek, 34, is charged with causing Leonie's death by dangerous driving and will appear in court later.

Magistrates made no order yesterday to prevent reporting of this case.