A man who killed a four-year-old girl while driving at disgraceful speeds has been freed after serving half his prison sentence.
Aidan McAteer mowed down Violet-Grace Youens in March 2017 while behind the wheel of a stolen car driving at speeds of over 80mph.
Violet-Grace later died in hospital. McAteer also hit her nan, Angela French, causing life-changing injuries.
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He was jailed in May 2017 after he had initially fled the scene and then the country before returning to the UK.
The ECHO understands he was released from prison at the halfway point and is now under supervision in the community.
McAteer, who was 23 at the time, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for nine years and four months, of which half was to be served in prison and the rest on licence.
McAteer's front seat passenger Dean Brennan was handed a sentence of six years and eight months.
During his time in custody, McAteer, now 27, has flouted prison rules by posting messages about his life inside on social media.
He was being held at HMP Buckley Hall, a Category C male prison in Rochdale where prisoners are prepared for release.
The terms of his licence conditions mean he will have to follow a number of strict rules once he is out, breaches of which will land him straight back in prison.
One of those conditions involves an exclusion zone that McAteer is not allowed into, including parts of St Helens.
Speaking to the ECHO following McAteer's release, Violet-Grace's father Glenn Youens said despite this it was very possible he could walk past his daughter's killer.
Mr Youens said: "People like that don't change. I believe it is very possible that I will end up walking past him one day."
Mr and his wife Rebecca said: "We will never forgive him. People can says forgiveness is this and that all they want, but until they are in our shoes and have lost a child they will never know what it feels like.
"He showed no remorse for what he did the day he ran past our Violet-Grace while she lay dying in the road.
"We feel as though the children grieve again every year, because every year they get a bit older and understand a bit more about what has happened.
"Our six-year-old said the one Christmas present he wants is to have his sister back. How do you even start to explain that to a six year old?
"All the time it is something else to knock us sideways, Violet's birthday, the anniversary of her death, Christmas... now this."
The family of Violet-Grace, from St Helens, have been tormented every day since her death and have been pressing for the introduction of 'Violet-Grace's Law,' with life sentences for dangerous drivers who kill.
This remains the family's mission and has helped them through some of the deep pain, they said while nothing will bring their daughter back, they can help stop their heartbreak and tragedy happening to someone else.
Mr and Mrs Youens said: "Violet always wanted to be a doctor, a nurse or a school teacher, and with 'Violet-Grace's Law' she can still protect those children she always wanted to help and protect.
"She has already accomplished more in her short life than he could ever. This will be her legacy and the way we keep her memory alive.
"And we will see it happen, we will make it happen in Violet-Grace's name.
"If people want to help and in a way to help remember Violet-Grace, we would ask them to sign up to be an organ donor and a blood donor so they can help others."
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