Luke McCormick jailed for 7 years for causing deaths of 2 brothers

[bundle]

by dangerous driving - this does seem a much heftier sentence than I've seen of late, is sentencing being toughed up?

[hecate]

I hope so.

[mehgalegs]

I hope so too bundle. That poor family to have lost those beautiful boys.

[expatinscotland]

he's eligible for parole in just 3 years.

[Saturn74]

I'm not surprised that the Peak family were offended by the mitigation offered by the defence.

Their little boys were killed by a drunk driver, and that driver's lawyer bleats on about how his client has now lost out on a glittering football career.

My heart goes out to the family.

[bundle]

I heard that on the news expat, but that's standard in prison sentences isn't it? (knock half off and you are eligible for parole if you "behave")

[bundle]

my thoughts are with the family too

at least he admitted it

[expatinscotland]

should have gotten life imprisonment.

he could be out walking around whilst that man is still sitting in a wheelchair.

they need to change the law to vehicular homicide.

[cupsoftea]

7 years for killing two children - absolutely disgusting - he should be in prison for life and life should mean life.

[cupsoftea]

""He was a professional footballer with a potentially glittering future.

"His career would have developed, the rewards in every sense of the word, would be limitless."

That was lost forever and McCormick is a shadow of his former self, he added.
" on the bbc website

So what - what about those children and their family. It says he'll be out in 3 half years - truely shocking and disgraceful.

[Carmenere]

Wanker and a thoroughly offensive defence

[rebelmum1]

Quite! Dangerous driving is a real loathing of mine it's high time it was treated with greater weight.

[Saturn74]

There is no excuse for driving after drinking twice the legal limit.
It is indefensible.

[Sazisi]

Not long enough.
Agree, it is indefensible.
I'm angered by his defense goign on like he's the victim - er, NO!

[LouMacca]

My heart goes out to this poor family. This is one of the saddest cases I have ever seen .

He is a murdering wanker. I hope the guilt he feels destroys his life too and that he is NEVER able to resume his career as a footballer.

[UnquietDad]

A murdering wanker who no doubt, at some time, was told his driving was "sexy" and did the boy-racer thing to impress a woman.

[chequers]

Saw this on the news and had my in tears.

Stupid, stupid man, driving home in the early hours after a wedding. Totally premeditated in my opinion - I'm sure he could have afforded a hotel room if he's a professional football player.

There is no excuse.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Would any of those things offered in mitigation - sorting out his love life and losing a "glittering career" - actually have any effect on sentencing? It almost makes it worse in fact.

He would have done better I think to just hold up his hands and accept without any mitigation what he was given.

[ninedragons]

Seven years doesn't even touch the sides of what he deserves.

[PortAndLemon]

expat, the law already allows for a charge of manslaughter; what you have to prove for manslaughter and what you have to prove for causing death by dangerous driving are exactly the same. However, it was found that juries just wouldn't convict in dangerous-driving manslaughter cases so the new offence of "causing death by dangerous driving" was created.

At least, that's what I was told in my criminal law classes.

Brake have some interesting stuff on how sentences are calculated

[Upwind]

Not only was he drunk, he was very upset and had been up nearly all night.

Last year I once drove when very tired and almost caused an accident. It gave me the fright of my life. Being very upset or very tired can affect your reaction times and observation skills as much as a few drinks would. Ever since then I have refused to drive when tired and taken lots of rest stops and snacks on longer journeys.

[Upwind]

I do feel sorry for McCormick, though his sentence seems low. He did a stupid reckless thing and caused a tragedy. For the rest of his life he will pay for his mistake, and so he should.

[LittleMyDancingWithTheDevil]

He's a stupid stupid stupid man. His friend even called him up to beg him to pull over and he didn't.

[expatinscotland]

I don't feel sorry for anyone who gets behind the wheel drunk.

I really and truly don't.

Luke McCormick won't pay for his mistake for the rest of his life, the family of those children will, and the father, who may well be permanently disabled. He'll be reminded daily of what happened. He won't be able to look at his own body in a mirror and not be reminded of how he got those scars.

RIP, Candice Kim, 1971-1992. Your glittering career as an attorney was ended by a drunk driver, but those who loved you will never forget you.

[expatinscotland]

I don't feel sorry for anyone who gets behind the wheel drunk.

I really and truly don't.

Luke McCormick won't pay for his mistake for the rest of his life, the family of those children will, and the father, who may well be permanently disabled. He'll be reminded daily of what happened. He won't be able to look at his own body in a mirror and not be reminded of how he got those scars.

RIP, Candice Kim, 1971-1992. Your glittering career as an attorney was ended by a drunk driver, but those who loved you will never forget you.