Tuesday 2nd Jun, 2026 14 °C
Tuesday 2nd Jun, 2026 14 °C
The mother of a man believed to have left the country after a four-year-old Violet Grace Youens was killed by a car has pleaded for her son to contact police.
Violet Grace died after being struck by a stolen vehicle while walking through St Helens, Merseyside, on Friday.
Police are trying to trace Aidan McAteer, 23, who is believed to have left the country hours after the crash.
His mother Alicia contacted police after seeing his photo on the internet.
"I… knew it was him so as soon as I got my head round it I phoned the police," she said.
"I was heartbroken. I'm his mum but you have got to think about that little girl's family.
"It's not not right what happened to [her]."
His mother said, although her son was her "world", she could not "condone what happened."
"I feel awful but it's not about me. That family have lost a little girl, it must be horrific for them," she added.
Another man, Dean Brennan, 27, appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged with assisting an offender, theft of a motor vehicle and being carried in a stolen vehicle.
A third man, aged 23 and from Prescot, Merseyside, was arrested on suspicion of being carried in a stolen vehicle but released pending further inquiries.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Merseyside Police’s Roads Policing on 0151 777 5747 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.