A MAN admitted causing the death of his cousin’s 12-year-old daughter as she crossed the road with a friend just seconds after getting off a bus.

Roofer Martin McGuire's red Citroen D3 struck Abbie McLaren with such force that she was flung into a parked car.

The horror crash took place at The Loaning, Motherwell, on February 12. McGuire was driving at more than 50mph in a 30mph zone.

Read more: Gran of Motherwell schoolgirl dead after being hit by car makes heartbreaking tribute

The 39-year-old, who has never held a licence, has previous convictions for drink driving, driving while disqualified and having no insurance.

At 4.08pm Abbie and an 11-year-old friend got off a First bus outside the U-Save shop.

Both girls began to cross the road. Abbie's friend stopped halfway, but Abbie continued to cross and was struck by McGuire's car.

In the front passenger seat was Abbie's father Adam McLaren who is McGuire's cousin.

He did not have contact with his daughter, who lived with her mum and step-dad.

The schoolgirl who was described by her family as “enjoying life to the full and very popular” suffered horrific injuries and died in hospital the next day.

Read more: Schoolgirl dead after being knocked down in North Lanarkshire

Prosecutor Alex Prentice told the High Court in Glasgow that Abbie suffered multiple skull fractures, a fracture to her spine and broken ribs and pelvis.

He added: “There were also fractures through both thigh bones and her right upper arm.”

Mr Prentice said: “It was calculated from CCTV footage that he travelled at an average speed of 51mph while the vehicle was braking.

“There was nothing obscuring his view and no reason for him not to observe her just before the point of collision … The speed travelled did not allow sufficient reaction time to an obvious hazard such as a person crossing the road.”

McGuire, of Dykehead Square, Hillhouse, Hamilton, also pled guilty to having no insurance and driving without a licence.

Mr Prentice told the court: “Abbie McLaren lived with her mother and step-father and brother and sisters and was especially close to her 13-year-old sister … She often went on sleepovers to her grandparents. Her grandparents are going to miss her deeply.”

Defence QC Jim Keegan will give his mitigation at sentencing.

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Judge Lady Scott deferred sentence for reports until next month at the High Court in Edinburgh.

She continued McGuire's bail and banned him from driving but warned him he was facing a prison sentence.