A driver who struck and killed a Peterborough pedestrian before fleeing the scene and denying any involvement has been jailed for 15 months.

Police say that Marcin Pilarski (36), who has pleaded guilty to causing death by driving a car without a licence or insurance, had struck Sam Pope (28) as he walked alongside Oil Mills Road, Ramsey Mereside.

A police spokesperson said that the collision was only reported when another driver called 999 after seeing Mr Pope, of Lincoln Road, Peterborough, laying in the road.

Emergency services attended but despite their efforts, Mr Pope was declared dead at the scene.

The incident happened at just before 11pm on May 11, 2024.

In a statement released at the time, his family said: “Sam was a free spirit, who liked to live his life at 100mph and believed that rules were meant to be broken.

“We shall miss his smile and crazy sense of humour that would always make you laugh, despite what mood you were in that day.

“Sam was a rough diamond with a heart made of gold and will leave a big hole in our lives.”

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire police said: “Less than an hour after the collision, at 11.40pm, police were called by Pilarski’s partner who told them he had returned home in her Vauxhall Astra – but that the car was badly damaged, with a smashed windscreen and headlamp, and that there was also blood on the front of the vehicle.

“The woman said that they lived 15 minutes, about 9.5miles, from the scene of the fatal crash.

“Police visited the house where they also noticed the damage to the car, and Pilarski, of Sorrell Avenue, Whittlesey, was arrested in relation to the fatal collision.”

The spokesperson added: “In a statement, Pilarski’s partner said he had called her at 11pm to tell her he had “hit or killed somebody” who had been in the road, but she had to end the call due to him screaming.

“She said when he returned home in her damaged car she told him they needed to call the police and he answered, “I know”.

In police interview Pilarski answered no comment to most questions.

However, he later pleaded guilty to causing death by driving a car without a licence or insurance.

He was sentenced to one year and three months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court on September 17 and was also disqualified from driving for four years and six months.

The police spokesperson said: “In a victim impact statement taken into consideration by the court, Mr Pope’s family said they had been left feeling angry that Pilarski didn’t seem remorseful and hadn’t apologised for his actions.

The statement added: “We hope the memory of the night keeps him up at night like it does us.

"I don’t really know how as a family we will ever come to terms with this.”

Afterwards, Detective Inspector Craig Wheeler, who investigated, said: “Pilarski made a conscious decision to drive his partner’s car without a licence or insurance.

“He should never have put himself behind the wheel of a car and my thoughts and sympathies remain with the family and friends of Mr Pope, who needlessly lost his life at such a young age.”