A ONE-armed lorry driver admitted causing the death of a three-year-old girl and seriously injuring her mother in a crash.

Thomas Hunter, 59, crashed his Volvo articulated truck into the back of a car Collette Wiggin and her daughter Isla were travelling in on the A34 at Hinksey, Oxford, on August 25 last year.

Isla suffered serious brain injuries in the crash and died two days later at the city's John Radcliffe Hospital.

Her 31-year-old pregnant mother suffered a broken neck and lost her unborn son, who was named Harry.

Hunter, who appeared in the dock with a prosthetic left arm with a hook, pleaded guilty to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

Both Mr and Mrs Wiggin, from Fleet in Hampshire, were in the public gallery yesterday afternoon as the defendant, of Mansfield Road, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, stared blankly while Judge Zoe Smith said he would be sentenced on July 17.

Prosecutor Michael Roques told the court there must have been a 'distraction' for Hunter to 'miss the traffic jam'.

He said the death of Mrs Wiggin's unborn son, and Hunter crashing into five other vehicles, further aggravated the offence in respect of sentence.

Thirteen other people were injured in the pile-up, which resulted in the closure of the northbound carriageway from 7.30pm on August 25 for several hours.

An inquest into Isla's death in September last year, heard how the car was in a queue of 'slow-moving or stationary traffic' when it was struck from behind by the lorry.

Isla's parents released a tribute to their "perfect, beautiful and witty" daughter last year and announced their unborn baby son, Harry, "who would have completed their family" had also died.

In a statement they said: "Isla was as perfect a daughter as you could ever wish for.

"Beautiful and witty, yet cheeky and mischievous, she was a character that you couldn't help but love with all your heart.

"She and her mummy were like two peas in a pod who did everything together. She even loved to help out around the house.

"Her loving and caring nature would have made her an amazing big sister and she was so excited at the prospect."

The family called their unborn child Harry after their daughter said she liked the name.

They added: "We were extremely proud to find out that we were going to have a son, who would have completed our family.

"He had big hands and strong arms and no doubt would've grown into a strapping young man who would have loved and protected Isla.

"We are so sorry that we didn't get the chance to meet him properly and get to know him.

"Not a day will go by where we won't think of them and all the happy memories that we have shared."

Defending Hunter, Alexander Stein said the defendant was of previous good character.

He added: "He knows exactly what's going to happen."
Hunter was granted bail and told by Judge Smith that he was disqualified from driving before appearing at the came court on July 17.