The family of 13-year-old Kaylan Hippsley, who died after a hit-and-run in 2024, say they are angry and heartbroken after being told the driver who killed him will be eligible for early release from prison.
Harley Whiteman, who struck Kaylan while driving under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, was originally sentenced to six years and nine months in prison. After the family appealed, High Court judges increased the sentence to nine years, with the family told Whiteman would serve at least six years. However, a few weeks ago, they received a phone call saying there had been an update in Whiteman's prison conditions, and he will no longer have to serve the six years they felt they were promised.
Family's shock at early release news
Lisa Hippsley, Kaylan's mother, said the family were shocked and devastated to learn Whiteman will be eligible for release in 2028, just four years after Kaylan's death. She said they were also devastated to learn he had only served one year in a youth offenders' institution, followed by a year in prison, before being moved to an open prison.
"I'm trying to not be angry, but I am for my little boy," Lisa said. "The justice system should be there for families like ours."
The family are now fighting to ensure Whiteman remains behind bars and have started a petition which has already been signed by more than 1,000 people.
Details of the crash and sentencing
Kaylan was struck on Brecon Road in Hirwaun in February 2024 by Whiteman, who got behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta after having drunk alcohol and taking cocaine. Whiteman was driving at speed, estimated to be between 40mph and 60mph, along the road in the built-up area when he swerved to avoid an oncoming car, mounting the curb and striking Kaylan. He fled the scene at speed before returning to try to prevent people from treating Kaylan. The 13-year-old never regained consciousness and died in hospital three days later. Whiteman later pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
Lisa said the family appealed the original sentence, taking the case to the appeals court in London. "We thought, even if we're not going to get anywhere, we've got to fight. We've got to fight for Kaylan's name - his name needs to be heard as he hasn't got a voice anymore. We're the only voice he has," she said.
Family's grief and fight for justice
Lisa said the news of Whiteman's potential early release has brought the family back to their early days of grief. "Kaylan wouldn't even be 16 yet," she said. "He wanted to be a neurosurgeon. Just before he died, I passed my driving test and he said 'that means you can teach me how to drive mam.' He's 17 next year and do you know how hard that is as a mother? That's going to come around and I'm never going to be able to teach him how to drive."
She added: "We are living a life sentence. My son is in a box. He gets to come out in two years time, four years after killing my son. When my son would not have been 20 years old. He won't see his niece and nephew grow up. This is not justice in my eyes."
The early release is part of the UK government's Sentencing Act, introduced to address prison overcrowding. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "We have been clear that we wanted to go further and block more offenders from getting out sooner into their sentence, but could not do so without risking prisons reaching capacity and collapsing. If that happened, police could not make arrests, courts could not remand offenders and there would be unchecked criminality on our streets. We are pulling every lever to protect the public and cut crime – building prison places at the fastest rate since the Victorian era, launching the biggest ever expansion of tagging to toughen community punishment and increasing support to victims, giving them a say in the strict licence conditions of offenders."
