Ex-England footballer, 20, killed after he was thrown 10ft into air in 88mph smash at ‘car meet’ as boy racer is jailed
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AN EX-England footballer, 20, was killed after being thrown 10ft into the air in an 88mph smash as a boy racer is jailed. Sam Harding was struck by a vehicle while at a "car meet" in Warrington, Cheshire, on April 10, 2022. The young man played for several non-league clubs including FC United of Manchester, Glossop North End, Ashton Athletic and Prescot Cables.
![[Sam Harding was killed on April 10 2022 at a car meet in Cheshire]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/undated-family-handout-photo-issued-958562935.jpg?strip=all&w=328)
Mason Hodgson pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday. The impact has been horrendous. Our world's ended. What's normal just changed overnight. The 23-year-old, of Glen Road, Morley, was sentenced to eight years in prison.
![[Mason Hodgson, 23, was sentenced to eight years behind bars]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/cheshire-police-pa-wire-note-958562937.jpg?strip=all&w=580)
He was also disqualified from driving for 10 years and four months, whilst being required to pass an extended driving test before he can get behind a wheel again. The court heard how a car meet was organised on an industrial estate in Woolston, Warrington on Sunday April 10 2022.
![[CCTV footage showed Hodgson travelling at nearly 100mph down 30mph zones]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/sam-harding-killed-car-crash-958574157.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The event drew together several hundred people, including Sam, who had come with two friends to look at cars. Hodgson went to the car meet with his friends and decided to drive his black Audi 53 at around 9.30pm. He then hurtled at speeds of more than 90mph along Kingsland Grange, a 30mph zone.
![[A picture of Sam with his football team]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/sam-harding-killed-car-crash-958574154.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Sam was crossing the road as Hodgson ploughed into him and the 20-year-old was thrown 10ft into the air. CCTV footage showed Sam who suffered serious head injuries, did not have time to see the black Audi due to its high speed. Emergency services rushed to the scene, and rushed the young man to hospital, where he was sadly pronounced dead a short while later.
![[Sergeant Simon Degg, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Cheshire Police]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/sam-harding-killed-car-crash-958574158.jpg?strip=all&w=670)
