Family 'devastated' as St Helens child killer freed from prison
The family of four-year-old Violet-Grace Youens say her killer has been released from prison.
A man who killed a little girl in a hit and run in St Helens has been released, after spending less than five years in prison.
Aidan McAteer hit four-year-old Violet-Grace Youens while driving a stolen car at 80mph in a 30 zone in March 2017.
He also left her grandmother with serious injuries, and initially fled to Amsterdam.
Today, Violet's Dad has posted on social media that McAteer has now been released, saying their family is devastated.
In a post on Instagram, Glenn Youens wrote:
"The justice system thinks just over 4 years for killing Violet is enough time in prison for what he took from Violet and us!
"As a family we are absolutely devastated and can not not put into words how this has effected us! It’s a never ending nightmare!
"I wish I knew the words needed to express the hurt and anger that we feel.
"All I can ask that if anyone see him in the exclusion zone below please report it and help make sure he goes back where he belongs.
"It states on his licence that his exclusion includes not to enter into the Borough of St Helens, Huyton, Prescot and Whiston with permitted use of the A580 and M62 to enter the rest of Merseyside."