A petition set up by the uncle of a toddler left permanently brain damaged by a driver on his mobile phone has reached 120,000 signatures. 

Nikunj Patel, 32, from Harrow started the petition in response to a “lenient” verdict given to Ben Etheridge, 23, who caused his nephew, Kai Khetani, severe brain damage in August 2016. 

Kai was two when was crossing Kenton Road in Harrow with his grandfather, Shivji Patel, when Etheridge him them with his car. 

It left the little boy with fractures to his hips and legs and he was placed on life support at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, where he remained until September. 

He was discharged in October severely brain damaged and now requires round-the-clock care. 

Shivji had a broken shoulder, ankle and head injuries.

Etheridge, of Dale Drive in Hillingdon, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Harrow crown Court on October 5, 2017.

He was sentenced on March 23, this year.

Initially, Mr Etheridge denied using his phone when he pleaded guilty to the charge, but phone records collected by police later showed he had used his phone at the time of the accident.

After admitting he was in fact on his phone, he was given a three-year driving ban, a three-month curfew, 240 hours community service and a two-year suspended sentence. 

Kai and family 

Harrow Times:

Kai’s uncle, Nikunj, and his family have set up an online petition to persuade the government to debate sentencing laws for dangerous driving. The petition has received more than 120,000 signatures. 

Nikunj said: “The only way to create awareness was to start a petition to get the law changed. The law is very lenient towards drivers if you are caught on your phone.

“But if you are out on the street and you stab someone you get a custodial sentence. What is the difference? You ruin someone’s life.”

Talking about the sentence, Nikunj said: “It was a shock, to the point where we felt we had been let down by the justice system. 

“Kai’s injuries and the fact the chap had lied to police by saying he had not used his phone and then he is able to go about his life, and my sister has to suffer for the rest of her life because Kai is in a vegetative state. 

“It hurt the family and we are upset with the sentencing and the injustice to the family.

“The goal is to change the law for future people who are caught on the phone at the wheel and to prevent what our family has gone through so that future families can get justice.”

Nikunj said the response to the online petition has been “literally incredible” adding: “Everyone who commented is clearly against use of mobile phones when driving.”

Harrow East MP, Bob Blackman, said: “This incredible public support for the boy and his family is most heartening and the family can rely on my support in pressuring those in government to change the law. Justice must be served.”