Gavin Prodger killed Lily Lockwood when he hit her in his Audi A1 on Watling Street at around 6.50pm on July 10, 2021.
In October 2023 he was sentenced to 12 years in prison after he entered a late guilty plea to causing death by careless driving and possession of cocaine.
But last month Court of Appeal judges reduced his prison sentence to eight and a half years.
CCTV footage showed that Lily, from Stone, had carefully checked the road was clear as she crossed to meet her friends at the park.
Prodger was driving at 47mph in a 30mph zone while using his phone to send a photo moments before the crash.
He struck Lily with his vehicle and the young girl died in hospital shortly after.
Prodger, of Beaulieu Rise in Rochester, was found to have cocaine and benzoylecgonine in his system.
Detective Constable Lee Berridge, who investigated the collision, said: “Prodger’s decision to drive that day cost a young child her life and left a family in mourning for the loss of their little girl.
“Not only was Prodger under the influence of class A drugs, he was also speeding, had a known eyesight condition and was using his mobile phone.”
At the Court of Appeal in Central London on October 31, 2025, it was argued on Prodger’s behalf that the 12 year prison sentence was excessive.
It was pointed out that a forensic collision expert believed that despite being high on cocaine, Prodger’s “reaction time was impeccable and he could not have reacted any faster than he did”.
It was also argued that the original sentencing judge, Judge Philip Statman, was wrong to conclude that Prodger had showed little remorse.
Prodger initially denied speeding or using his mobile phone, even though police found evidence he had used it to make a call and send photographs shortly before the crash.
After the collision which killed Lily, Prodger committed two further offences of driving under the influence of cocaine.
Judge Statman had said: “I have read with care what you’ve written to me but my overriding view of you is that whilst, clearly, you were in a state of shock at the scene after these events, I find, I regret to say, very little before me that indicates that there is a genuine remorse and understanding of precisely what it is that you have done.”
At the Court of Appeal it was argued on Prodger’s behalf that he is a man who is “appalled by what he has caused”.
Appeal judges found that Judge Statman had placed the case in culpability A (the most serious level of careless driving) when it should have been placed in culpability B.
They therefore decided that the sentence should be reduced from 12 years to eight years and six months.
