Dantay Roche admitted causing Marie Theobald's death by dangerous driving, and sentencing is set for Jan. 25.

Wednesday's admissions are guilty pleas to causing death by dangerous driving, criminal damage, and causing death by driving an uninsured vehicle. They are not the sentence. The Mail's body and the Metropolitan Police both put the collision on Dec. 22, 2023. A caption on the Mail's photograph of Theobald and the dogs puts it on Dec. 23. Jan. 25, 2027, is the date both accounts set for sentencing at the Old Bailey.

The Daily Mail, by Jada Bas, published at 6:15 a.m. EDT on Oct. 30, 2026, and updated at 9:59 a.m. EDT, reported that Dantay Roche, 24, from Chigwell in London, was driving his white Seat Leon at 61 mph in a 30 zone when he struck Marie Theobald, 48, from Hainault, as she was crossing the road with her pets on Dec. 22, 2023. It reported emergency services were called, that she was pronounced dead at the scene, and that the Maltese dogs, Riley and Honey, were also pronounced dead. It reported he failed to stop, that the car was found nearby shortly after the collision, and that CCTV showed him getting out to check the damage before fleeing. It reported that appearing at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, he admitted causing death by dangerous driving, criminal damage, and causing death by driving an uninsured vehicle, that he was remanded in custody, and that he will be sentenced at the same court on Jan. 25, 2027. The Metropolitan Police, in a release timed 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 30, 2026, reported that Dantay Roche, 24 (04.03.2002), of Tine Road, Chigwell, appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, Oct. 28, and admitted those three offenses, and that he was remanded for sentence at the same court on Jan. 25, 2027. Wednesday, in the Mail's Friday story, and Oct. 28, which the police release printed, are the same day. 04.03.2002 is the day-month-year form on the release. That is March 4, 2002. The Mail did not print a date of birth or Tine Road. A caption on the Mail's photograph of Theobald and the two dogs says they were killed in the crash on Dec. 23. Dec. 22 in the Mail's body and Dec. 23 in that caption are not the same day.

The police release reported he had been driving the white Seat Leon at 61 mph in a 30 zone when he struck her as she tried to cross Manford Way with her two dogs at around 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 22, 2023. It printed 17:00hrs. It reported police attended with the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance, that she was pronounced dead at the scene, and that Riley and Honey died in the collision. It reported the vehicle was found abandoned in a nearby cul-de-sac, Stevens Way, with significant damage, that he was identified as the registered keeper, and that he handed himself in at Ilford police station the day after the collision. It reported he was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and later released on bail. It reported forensic collision experts found the car had been driving at more than double the speed limit. It reported CCTV showed the driver parking the vehicle and getting out with a passenger to inspect the damage before fleeing. It reported he was charged on Wednesday, July 29, with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death while driving an uninsured vehicle, and criminal damage offenses relating to the deaths of the two dogs, and that he appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, Sept. 30. The Mail's body did not print Manford Way, 5:00 p.m., Stevens Way, a passenger, Ilford, the bail, the July charge, or the September appearance. A Mail caption under a photograph of the road says Pictured: Manford Way. The Mail said he got out. The release said he got out with a passenger. A passenger is not in the Mail's sentences. Twice the speed limit, which the Mail printed in the headline and in the story, is 60 in a 30 zone. Both accounts printed 61 mph. The release also said more than double the speed limit. Causing death by driving an uninsured vehicle, which both accounts used for the plea, and causing death while driving an uninsured vehicle, which the release used for the July charge, are not the same wording.

Both accounts printed a family statement released in December 2023. It says Marie was a loving mother, daughter, sister, niece, and friend, that she was an honest, hardworking, selfless woman who would do anything for anyone, and that she always put others first. It says Riley and Honey were much loved members of the family, that they adored her as she adored them, and, "May they all rest in perfect peace together." No child is named in that statement, and none is named here. Detective Inspector Mark Braithwaite, who led the investigation, told both outlets, "This was an awful incident that resulted in Marie's death in the most tragic circumstances just days before Christmas." He said, "We do not know why Roche was driving like he was that night, as he has never provided an explanation either to the police or the courts." He said, "But he drove dangerously fast at twice the speed limit on a busy road in a residential area, then took the cowardly decision to leave the scene after striking Marie and her two dogs." He said, "We built a strong case against him, with evidence from our forensic collision investigator showing how he was driving at 61mph in a 30 zone, with digital enquiries placing him in the area at the time of the collision." Twice, in the speed quotation, and 61mph, in the sentence that follows it, are not the same number. Wednesday's admissions are the pleas. Jan. 25, 2027, is the date set for sentencing. The sentence has not been imposed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.