Man charged over hit-and-run death of four-year-old girl

A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a hit-and-run crash which killed a four-year-old girl.

Violet-Grace Youens died in hospital in her mother's arms on Saturday after she was struck by a suspected stolen black Ford Fiesta while walking through St Helens, Merseyside, on Friday.

Her grandmother, Angela French, 55, was also injured in the crash and is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Aidan McAteer, 23, who had been sought by police after the incident, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and theft of a motor vehicle.

Merseyside Police said he would appear at Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens Adult Remand Court on Friday.

His mother, Alicia McAteer, 41, previously called for him to come home after recognising him in a CCTV image released by police after the crash.

Dean Brennan, 27, appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged with assisting an offender, theft of a motor vehicle and the aggravating offence of allowing oneself to be carried within a stolen vehicle.

A third man, 23 and from Prescot, was arrested on suspicion of being carried in a stolen vehicle but later released pending further inquiries.