The family of a 13-year-old boy killed in a hit-and-run say they are “devastated” after being told the driver who caused his death has had his sentence reduced.

Kaylan Hippsley died three days after being struck by a car driven by Harley Whiteman on Brecon Road in Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on 29 February 2024.

Whiteman was originally sentenced to six years and nine months in prison and banned from driving for eight years and four months but, after Kaylan’s family appealed, High Court judges increased the sentence to nine years.

Now, the family has been told Whiteman can be released under licence as early as this autumn as part of the UK government’s Sentencing Act early release scheme.

Whiteman, who had been drinking alcohol and taking cocaine before the crash, fled the scene before later returning, where he swore at members of the public who were trying to help the critically injured boy.

The court heard Whiteman swerved to avoid another vehicle, mounted the pavement and struck Kaylan, throwing him into the air.

Quashing the original sentence at the High Court in July 2024, Lord Justice Davis said it had been “unduly lenient”.

However, Kaylan’s family say they have since been informed Whiteman has had his sentence reduced to four years, and is due to be released on licence in the autumn.

Being released on licence means serving the remainder of a prison sentence under supervised conditions in the community.

Anyone who breaches those conditions can be recalled to prison.

Julie Craig, Kaylan’s cousin, said the news had left the family “devastated”.

She said they had received a phone call from the victim support team two weeks ago, informing them there was going to be a change to Whiteman’s prison conditions.

“We’ve had a letter from the prison service, saying his sentence is being reviewed as part of the Sentencing Act 2026, where there’s been a remodel, and as a result of that his sentence has been reduced to four years, of which he has to serve at least half,” Craig said.

She said this had meant Whiteman could be released under licence in the autumn.

“It’s beggar’s belief that after two years he’s allowed back into the community,” she said.

“It’s absolutely devastating. Kaylan’s grandmother, who is his legal guardian, she is absolutely distraught. She’s been unable to return to the home she shared with him.

“This just feels like a kick in the teeth.”

Craig said she wanted the decision to be reversed.

“I understand there needs to be changes because the prisons are full to capacity. But that’s not the victims’ fault,” she said.

“Harley Whiteman will come out, he’ll have the rest of his life to live.

“But Kaylan was only 13. I want them to take that into consideration when they’re making these decisions. It’s just wrong.

“If it means building new prisons, then that’s what they need to do.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said it wanted to “block more offenders from getting out sooner into their sentence”, but that could not happen without “risking prisons reaching capacity and collapsing”.

“If that happened, police could not make arrests, courts could not remand offenders and there would be unchecked criminality on our streets,” it added.

“We are pulling every lever to protect the public and cut crime – building prison places at the fastest rate since the Victorian era, launching the biggest ever expansion of tagging to toughen community punishment and increasing support to victims, giving them a say in the strict licence conditions of offenders.”