The hit and run driver who left Sutton schoolgirl Jodie Duffin fighting for her life has avoided jail, causing Jodie's parents to feel they have been "kicked in the teeth".

The driver who sped from the scene of the accident, which left the 12-year-old needing a ventilator last June, walked free from Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Monday.

Ian Beesley, 31, from Hampshire, admitted failing to stop after an accident and driving without insurance.

But despite having previous driving convictions, he received an 18 month community rehabilitation order with 100 hours of community service and a £70 fine.

Magistrate Richard Vaughan-Payne said he did not think Beesley's convictions, which included dangerous driving for which he was disqualified in August and driving without insurance twice, warranted a jail term.

Jodie's mum Mandie said justice had not been done.

She said: "One hundred hours is nothing really after all those hours we spent in hospital with Jodie. I was hoping we would have some kind of closure today because of what we have been through. He would have got the same sentence had she died.

"I am still having counselling, Bob is still having nightmares but he is probably out celebrating."

Jodie, a pupil at Glenthorne High School, had stepped off a 413 bus in Tudor Drive, Morden, just before the accident on June 19. She was with two friends, who had hung back to read a text message, when she stepped out between parked cars.

Witnesses said Beesley was driving at between 30 and 35 mph and caught Jodie on the front wing of his Renault Clio.

Beesley did not stop but drove away at a speed of around 60 to 65 mph and was followed by witnesses.

The Duffin family released pictures of their daughter in hospital in a police appeal, which led to Beesley to handing himself in to officers.

He said he had suffered a panic attack and thought he had hit a vehicle.