The parents of a 12-year-old girl killed by a hit-and-run driver on holiday on Gran Canaria still don’t know if justice has been done – four-and-a-half years later.
An inquest decided that Abigail Harris had been “unlawfully killed” and though a father and daughter were charged over her death, Spanish authorities won’t say if they were tried or convicted.
Abigail, of Dewsbury, known to her family as Abbs Fabbs, died instantly when she was struck by a car on the pavement as she walked with her family.
Abigail was with mum Nicola, sister Jessica, stepdad Keith Thackray and stepbrother Thomas, when the tragedy happened on April 18, 2010.
The family was coming to the end of a holiday to celebrate Jessica’s 14th birthday. They were staying in the resort of Mogan on the island of Gran Canaria.
An inquest in Bradford was told that the family were on their way to a cash machine when a Ford Escort came at them from behind, mounting the pavement and ploughing into Abigail and Thomas.
Both were thrown into the air and Abigail died instantly from terrible head injuries.
Thomas, also 12 at the time, suffered a broken collarbone and needed 49 stitches to leg wounds and cuts.
Witnesses said the car, driven by a woman, failed to stop. It returned to the scene a short time later, with a man behind the wheel.
It later emerged a taxi driver had followed the car and forced the driver to return to the scene.
Assistant deputy coroner Oliver Longstaff apologised to the family for the long delay in concluding the inquest.
He said it was particularly difficult dealing with the Spanish criminal justice system which would not release information directly to relatives.
Mr Longstaff said: “The authorities will only deal with requests from the next of kin through lawyers, which have to be instructed by the family.
“The Spanish authorities will not budge on this.”
Mr Longstaff read a statement from Spanish police which said Jaime Noguera and his daughter Ingrid Isabel Noguera Gomez were arrested on suspicion of homicide through gross negligence and other charges.
When interviewed both said Mr Noguera was driving and that he did not realise what had happened. He was only urged to go back when his daughter pointed out the broken windscreen.
Police said there were “radical discrepancies” between what Mr Noguera and Ms Gomez said and what the witnesses reported.
The pair were accused of homicide, causing injury through gross negligence and omitting to call for assistance. Ms Gomez was also accused of driving without a licence.
However it is not known if they ever stood trial or were convicted.
Mr Longstaff said both had been charged with homicide in what he believed to be the equivalent of causing death by dangerous driving and he was satisfied “beyond reasonable doubt” that Abigail had been unlawfully killed.
Turning to Abigail’s family he said: “That can come as no surprise to you but no comfort either.
“You have lived with this for four-and-a-half years and nothing can bring Abigail back.
“If there’s any conclusion to draw it’s that Abigail was utterly unaware of what was going on.
“While you have suffered mightily you can take comfort from the fact that Abigail didn’t.
“How you, as a family, move on from an episode like this I don’t know and I hope I never have to find out.
“In time it may be easier for you to remember Abigail as you would like to remember her.”
