Send us your pictures and video by text, email or by uploading. Click here to find out how. »
3:28pm Saturday 19th July 2008
AMAN who tried to cover his tracks after driving off from a hit-and-run accident which killed an 11-year-old boy is today behind bars.
Jason Tobola was over the speed limit in his uninsured car when he hit Theo Hixon-Denton and then drove off, leaving him dying in the road from injuries .
Instead of stopping to help he drove less than half a mile to the home he shared with his father and set about trying to repair the dent to his bonnet.
Today Tobola, 20, from Bracklesham Close, Southampton, is starting a 20-month jail term after admitting perverting the course of justice, leaving the scene of an accident, driving uninsured and without tax and driving dangerously as he left the scene.
Southampton Crown Court heard that within an hour of the crash on Sholing Road on November 23 last year, Tobola was searching the Internet for replacement parts and had spoken to a windscreen repair centre about fixing his car.
In text messages that night he told friends how his car had been "battered by chavs" who had thrown a brick at it, before eating pizza and going to sleep.
But it was concerned neighbours, who had seen Tobola return home in his red Peugeot with no lights on and with steam coming from the car, who called police after hearing that a youngster had died.
He was arrested at 3am the following morning and during police interview admitted what he had done, saying "I never meant to do it, I was scared" before reverting to his old story about the brick.
Simon Edwards, prosecuting, told the court how Tobola made "a callous and concerted effort to evade detection" and how accident investigators at the scene could find no evidence of brake marks on the road.
It's like a bomb has exploded among us - read the family's reaction here
It wasn't the first time he had driven without insurance, having lost his licence for the same offence in April 2007.
The court was told how a painstaking police investigation got under way before Tobola was charged in April this year.
Daniel Reilly, defending, said Tobola had talked of suicide and described him as someone who "shows incredible and obvious sorrow, regret and remorse".
He added: "What has been central to him each and every day since this incident is the family of Theo Hixon-Denton" and spoke of how during interview Tobola had told police "I wish I had stopped because I might have been able to save him or something".
Mr Reilly told the court how Tobola had confined himself inside his mother's home until February this year, didn't speak to his closest friends and felt he couldn't go to work for fear of what others may think.
Jailing him for 20 months and disqualifying Tobola from driving for two years, Judge Peter Ralls QC, said: "You tried to cover up and cover your tracks.
You were taking steps to see if you could carry out repairs on the bodywork of your car so that nobody would know what you had done. It's not just a cowardly thing to drive away, but it also caused, far greater grief and sorrow and worry for the parents and those that were close to this young boy."
anon, soton says...
9:53am Sat 19 Jul 08
The Boatman, New Forest says...
9:59am Sat 19 Jul 08
Maz, Weston says...
9:59am Sat 19 Jul 08
Bicentennial Man, - rabbitting on & says...
10:35am Sat 19 Jul 08
victoria, says...
11:08am Sat 19 Jul 08
jerrim family, southampton says...
12:09pm Sat 19 Jul 08
vicki grant, says...
12:49pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Bright Spark, Stubbington says...
1:59pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Ken, Stubbington says...
4:26pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Bright Spark wrote:If you look they've just been updating the story.
The earlier Echo headline referred to the driver as a "coward", it has since been taken out and changed with "driver". What's all that about Echo? Did you upset the killer's family?
Ciaran, says...
4:37pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Bright Spark wrote:The front page calls him a coward, so I doubt they have changed it for that reason.
The earlier Echo headline referred to the driver as a "coward", it has since been taken out and changed with "driver". What's all that about Echo? Did you upset the killer's family?
Derek, Dibden Purlieu says...
4:50pm Sat 19 Jul 08
is starting a 20-month jail term
George, says...
4:53pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Derek wrote:Lead by example, then, Derek. Form a Dibden Purlieu branch of the Tufty Club or something
is starting a 20-month jail term
I wonder how many children will be taught the way to cross the road safely before this gentleman is freed. I' like to see the same amount of effort put in to this task as there is writing on this forum........ I won't hold my breath though.
The Boatman, New Forest says...
5:05pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Derek wrote:I do get your point Derek. It is possible that the boy who died may have run out in the road (Don't get on your high horse everybody - I'm not saying he did but it is possible in this case and many others) but the worthless scum who hit him had no tax or insurance, knew he had hit a child and then set about trying to cover up the evidence to escape blame. He shouldn't have been on the road in the first place and the longer he is kept off our streets the better for all of us.
is starting a 20-month jail termI wonder how many children will be taught the way to cross the road safely before this gentleman is freed. I' like to see the same amount of effort put in to this task as there is writing on this forum........ I won't hold my breath though.
lydia, soton says...
6:02pm Sat 19 Jul 08
George, says...
6:09pm Sat 19 Jul 08
lydia wrote:I'm so very sorry for your loss. I can't begin to imagine what you're feeling right now. For your own sake, I really advise against visiting these boards to read the comments, it's only a matter of time before the insensitive jokey comments start. They always do
I'm the victims sister, and i'd just like to clarify that Theo did not run out into the road, he was crossing and the car flew around the corner.
Theo new road safety, he just didn't have time to move.
c, says...
6:29pm Sat 19 Jul 08
M, London says...
6:56pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Condor Man, Southampton says...
7:15pm Sat 19 Jul 08
lydia wrote:Lydia, rest assured that the majority of local people were truly horrified by not only your brother's death but also the sentence given to his killer.
I'm the victims sister, and i'd just like to clarify that Theo did not run out into the road, he was crossing and the car flew around the corner. Theo new road safety, he just didn't have time to move.
Miles Sway, Scotland says...
8:07pm Sat 19 Jul 08
mike, hants says...
11:25pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Mum, Home says...
11:37pm Sat 19 Jul 08
Kim, says...
12:14am Sun 20 Jul 08
Mum wrote:Theo's mum....I don't have the right words for you and your family. My nephew was killed in not unsimilar circumstances in Woodmill Lane a few years ago, not a hit and run but as there were no witnesses, the driver was completely exonerated at the inquest. It was assumed our nephew had run out into the road but he knew road safety like Theo. He was 13. We have always assumed the driver was distracted and just didn't see him.
Myself and my family were really horrified at the sentence that Jason Tobola was given,right up until the sentencing yesterday we had no idea of what he would get,we even thought he could possibly get a suspended sentence as unbelievable as that may seem.He is in a youth detention centre until he turns 21 but he will probably be out by then.I too think that once he is released he will probably carry on driving around without any insurance,tax and mot just as he always has done.His parents were not in court to hear him sentenced,that really said it all to me.As I firmly believe what goes around comes around and he will pay for taking my sons life away.
rebecca garrod, swindon says...
7:31pm Mon 21 Jul 08
smithy, soton says...
4:02pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Jessie, Portsmouth says...
12:08am Thu 24 Jul 08
Theo's Mum, Home says...
4:35pm Thu 24 Jul 08
grandfather, West end says...
4:49pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Cheryl, Southampton says...
7:25pm Thu 24 Jul 08
lydia, soton says...
8:49pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Jessie wrote:You stupid stupid girl. How can you even try and defend that pathetic excuse for a human being.
Look my sorrys do go out to Theo's family but you don't know the full story about what happened. no matter how much u think u do, have you actually spoken to Jason himself??? Do you really know Jason as a person??? If you did and if you knew what Jason has been through since November then you would know this was an accident. Yes he was driving with no tax and insurance this was because he was just driving the car home after it's MOT had been done. Ok i know and accept this does not excuse this behaviour. Jason has had his car attacked previously in this area at that is why he didn't stop when something hit his car. Answer me this would you stop if u think someone has just thrown a brick at your car? Would you risk also getting attacked yourself? Just to look at the damage to your car? The answer is no as you would fear for your saftey. That is why he waited until he got home to check the damage. He loves his cars and was doing a course at college to become a mechanic and that is why he started to think about getting his car repaired straight away. He didn't want to be without his car! Also there wouldn't have been any 'brake marks' as Theo walked out in front of Jason out of nowhere. So how are you supposed to brake for something that you have not even a second until it's hit??? Jason has also gone through hell and hack just like Theo's family! He really did lock himself away until February. And his family were not at the court hearings because Jason did the decent thing and asked them not to go! Pleaded with them in fact not to go! His mother was also going through hell and she's barely coping as it is! If she went to that court room and watched her little boy go down, who knows what would have happened. Will everyone stop having a go at Jason! He is truely sorry that he never stopped because he thought it was "chavs" that attacked his car! Give a thought what Jason and his family is going through! And how you would feel if you were Jason and what you would have done! Yes you would all like to think that you would have stopped to help Theo. But if you didnt know it was a boy you hit but thought it was someone attacking your car. Would you have really stopped! This ACCIDENT could have happened to anyone of us! So just get off Jason's back!!!! Me and the rest of Jason's friends and family are looking forward to seeing him in 20months time! But he it might be possible that he only serves 10months, so we are likely to see him in less than a yr! He'll be able to spend his 21st birthday with everyone that cares about him!!!!
Jon Baines, Portsmouth says...
9:10pm Thu 24 Jul 08
friend, south says...
9:28pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Louis, southampton says...
10:07pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Jessie wrote:You have no idea what it is like to lose someone, do you!
Look my sorrys do go out to Theo\'s family but you don\'t know the full story about what happened. no matter how much u think u do, have you actually spoken to Jason himself??? Do you really know Jason as a person??? If you did and if you knew what Jason has been through since November then you would know this was an accident. Yes he was driving with no tax and insurance this was because he was just driving the car home after it\'s MOT had been done. Ok i know and accept this does not excuse this behaviour. Jason has had his car attacked previously in this area at that is why he didn\'t stop when something hit his car. Answer me this would you stop if u think someone has just thrown a brick at your car? Would you risk also getting attacked yourself? Just to look at the damage to your car? The answer is no as you would fear for your saftey. That is why he waited until he got home to check the damage. He loves his cars and was doing a course at college to become a mechanic and that is why he started to think about getting his car repaired straight away. He didn\'t want to be without his car! Also there wouldn\'t have been any \'brake marks\' as Theo walked out in front of Jason out of nowhere. So how are you supposed to brake for something that you have not even a second until it\'s hit??? Jason has also gone through hell and hack just like Theo\'s family! He really did lock himself away until February. And his family were not at the court hearings because Jason did the decent thing and asked them not to go! Pleaded with them in fact not to go! His mother was also going through hell and she\'s barely coping as it is! If she went to that court room and watched her little boy go down, who knows what would have happened. Will everyone stop having a go at Jason! He is truely sorry that he never stopped because he thought it was \"chavs\" that attacked his car! Give a thought what Jason and his family is going through! And how you would feel if you were Jason and what you would have done! Yes you would all like to think that you would have stopped to help Theo. But if you didnt know it was a boy you hit but thought it was someone attacking your car. Would you have really stopped! This ACCIDENT could have happened to anyone of us! So just get off Jason\'s back!!!! Me and the rest of Jason\'s friends and family are looking forward to seeing him in 20months time! But he it might be possible that he only serves 10months, so we are likely to see him in less than a yr! He\'ll be able to spend his 21st birthday with everyone that cares about him!!!!
Louis, southampton says...
10:15pm Thu 24 Jul 08
friend wrote:Your not even brave enough to tell us all who you really are!
JASON SHOULD BE SET FREE, JASON FOR THE WIN.
debbie,sholing, southampton says...
10:15pm Thu 24 Jul 08
cerri, sholing says...
4:22pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Theo's Mum, Home says...
6:30pm Fri 25 Jul 08
bias, sholing says...
11:59pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Theo's Mum, Home says...
11:14am Sat 26 Jul 08
Destiny, southampton says...
7:25pm Sun 27 Jul 08
lydia hixon denton, soton says...
12:03am Thu 31 Jul 08
jamesholland, youknow says...
3:15am Sat 2 Aug 08
youknewme, south says...
3:52am Sat 2 Aug 08
A Friend, Southampton says...
4:20am Tue 5 Aug 08
youknewme wrote:Your obviously not friends of Jason or really dont know him that well at all, as anyone can post on here.
me and alot of people you knew were out tonight jason, and we were your friends. and after a while we decided something, you are scum.you took away a childs life and you show no remorse. you are a cowarish boy and you will get your just dessers when we see you outside in the real world. 20 months cut to 10 minus what you spent already. we will be waiting for you.
Condor Man, Southampton says...
9:44am Sat 19 Jul 08