Please help find my son’s killer

TWO years ago a family was shattered when a teenager was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver, suspected to be from Oldham. On the eve of the second anniversary of her beloved son’s death, Beverley O’Toole told reporter Richard Hooton how she is desperate to find out who killed Adam
THE DEATH of 18-year-old Adam O’Toole, from Holmfirth, devastated family and friends who have struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.

But their grief is compounded by the fact that, despite an intensive police investigation, the driver responsible has never been traced and their questions over what happened remain unanswered.

Adam, who was studying for a BTEC diploma in sports studies at Huddersfield New College, was struck by a blue Rover 200 while crossing New Hey Road in Salendine Nook, Huddersfield at 10.30am on Tuesday, March 6, 2007.

He was hit with such force that he was catapulted into the air and landed on top of a parked car before hitting the pavement and coming to rest some considerable distance along the road.

The driver, who was travelling away from Huddersfield and towards the motorway, sped off as Adam died at the scene.

Police believe the driver lives in Oldham as the car drove off towards the M62 and such a car with accident damage was spotted driving along the A640 towards Denshaw.

The driver of the car is described as a white man, in his 20s, with a thin face, prominent nose and long, dark brown, unkempt hair.

Officers have carried out door-to-door inquiries in Oldham and released a photograph of a similar car and an e-fit of the driver — but have had no success.

Relatives and friends have even trawled the town handing out flyers in an effort to jog someone’s memory.

Grieving mother Beverley O’Toole, from Holmbridge, issued a heartfelt plea for the public’s help in finding the driver.

She has cast doubt on the theory that he may be from Oldham but urged Oldhamers to help catch the killer.

Mrs O’Toole told the Evening Chronicle: “I don’t believe that now otherwise that car would have been found. That road goes anywhere. They don’t have to be in Oldham. They can join on and off the motorway and go on another way.

“We need the car. I don’t believe a car can just vanish. If there was so much damage to the car, someone must have been paid to do something with it.

“Life’s still hard. We are no nearer finding out what happened. I need help. I know people say it won’t bring Adam back but before I die I need to know who killed my son — who murdered him. It’s the only way I can try and put some closure to it. I don’t have anything any more.

“Whoever did it must have a mother and friends and a girlfriend. I need the public’s help. I can’t do anything.

“I need someone to give me a name or say where that car is. Just look at the person stood next to you. Look at your son. Just look to see if they could have done this.”

The tragedy has had a devastating effect on Mrs O’Toole’s life.

She said: “I have been off work with depression. I have no interest in anything. I have had to move house as I could not carry on living there without Adam — it isn’t a home any more. I live on my own. I have lost my life as he was my only son. I don’t want to live without him.

“I will never be a grandma or see him get married. Adam would have been 21 in July but I won’t be able to celebrate that with him.

“It was his choice not to have an 18th birthday party because he wanted to have a 21st party.

“Hopefully I might get enough strength to throw a party for him. It’s not just Adam’s life they took, it was an awful lot of lives.”

And she appealed directly to the driver to end her anguish.

She said: “I have a lot of very close friends that help me through this. If this person could see how I live and how I have to be looked after as a 49-year-old woman — surely they have a heart.

“I want the driver to come forward. Hopefully they could tell me what happened. No one knows if Adam was on the crossroad or why that person was driving at that speed. If he was going slower Adam may have survived. I just want answers.”

A petition featuring 2,000 signatures has called for “Crimewatch” to feature an appeal but the programme’s makers say they cannot publicise every case. Instead an appeal has been placed on the BBC programmes’ website.

Mrs O’Toole said: “The police have done all they can. I want “Crimewatch” to feature it so it goes national. Unless it goes national we can’t do anything. Adam was worth more than that. Even though the coroner gave unlawful killing, to me it was murder.”

On the anniversary tomorrow. Mrs O’Toole will go to Huddersfield New College to present an inter-college sports day award in Adam’s memory.

West Yorkshire Police say they are continuing to hunt for the driver. Anyone with any information should contact them on 01484 436682 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.