To think this is disgusting and he should never be allowed to drive again?

Houseonahill · 2019-01-03T08:23:25+00:00

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-46735567 In 2012 this young man killed a brother and sister driving at more than twice the speed limit and got a measly 16 months in jail (which he probably only served half of.) Now he has just been convicted for driving at more than twice the legal drink drive limit and been given another pathetic sentence of a 22 month driving ban. AIBU to think our legal system is a complete joke and he should never be allowed to drive again?

Original poster

Houseonahill · 03/01/2019 08:24

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-46735567

OP posts:

longwayoff · 03/01/2019 08:47

YANBU. Disgusting. I don't understand why offences like this are dealt with so lightly.

domton · 03/01/2019 09:00

One family whose lives will never be the same again. If he'd stabbed them to death he'd have had a proper sentence....a tonne of metal thouhh is obviously different. :(

What an apalling message this gives to the friends and family of the brother and sister about how valuable their lives were. Absolute joke.

Snugglepiggy · 03/01/2019 09:14

I'm frequently shocked by the seemingly meaningless sentences given to dangerous drivers who kill .Can't remember the exact date but there was one little boy mown down by a a repeat offender up in the North East a while back and the sentence was derisory.
Then again I'm not impressed that the comedian Jimmy Carr has used a fancy lawyer to get him off prosecution for driving with a mobile phone.Apparently he wasn't 'using' it for a conversation,just to dictate a joke.Nor so funny if he had knocked one of my DCs down are my thoughts.

Tubeworker · 03/01/2019 09:56

Lol. Read the secret barrister’s book which will explain that it is almost always because of outrage like this that sentencing decisions in the UK are almost unimaginably complex and contradictory. What was the basis of the judge’s sentencing decision? It’s available if you want to find it- it will explain why he got the sentence he got. Our criminal justice system is just about the best in the world, but struggling right now. The fact that it becomes a political plaything for citizen outrage at lenient sentences doesn’t help anything.

CallMeSirShotsFired · 03/01/2019 10:01

Lol. Read the secret barrister’s book which will explain that it is almost always because of outrage like this that sentencing decisions in the UK are almost unimaginably complex and contradictory. What was the basis of the judge’s sentencing decision? It’s available if you want to find it- it will explain why he got the sentence he got. Our criminal justice system is just about the best in the world, but struggling right now. The fact that it becomes a political plaything for citizen outrage at lenient sentences doesn’t help anything.

Every single word of this. All this keyboard outrage, when the reasons why are easily and readily available.

Lobby for change in sentencing guidelines if you want to have an actual impact, don't just post on MN.

Chewinggumwalk · 03/01/2019 10:02

I agree with the above, except the “lol”.

Nothing about this is funny.

domton · 03/01/2019 13:45

According to the law pages, he has one previous speeding conviction of 56 in a 30 zone, and this time, when he killed these two people was skiing the same estimated speed.The mitigation was that he was sorry. He got 16 months. Where in that sentencing information is the justification for that?

Last time I checked, we were perfectly allowed to comment on legal proceedings and outcomes, and despite the superior tone of your post, when a judge can apply 5 years for a crime, but instead opts for 8 months, for someone who has two driving convictions in the less than a year he has had his licence, i think it is a joke. If a court can be unduly influenced by strangers on an internet forum we are in a very bad place, but it doesn't mean I can't voice an opinion.

CripsSandwiches · 03/01/2019 13:45

He should have a lengthy jail time and never drive again.

CripsSandwiches · 03/01/2019 13:48

The comment above is both stupid and insensitive (why lol about a family being killed). The reasons given do not satisfy me hence I'm unhappy with the sentencing. I think driving offences should carry heftier sentances. The mitigation here is almost non existent.

rightreckoner · 03/01/2019 13:50

All sorts of situations are more complex than they look at first glance. But the snootiness here is not necessary. It is not the job of those on MN to propose amendments to the sentencing guidelines. It is, however, perfectly legitimate to say, as these posters have, that the outcome for the driver does not seem commensurate with what he did and his apparent lack of remorse given the subsequent crime.

I agree with the general point being made which is that driving offences like this are not treated seriously enough and I think the guidelines should be changed accordingly.

Tubeworker · 03/01/2019 20:13

He got convicted of drink driving which he admitted (presumably at the outset) and is therefore entitled to half off his sentence. He got a drink driving ban for 22 months, which if he hadn’t got the discount would have been nearly a 4 year ban. That seems pretty commensurate with a drink driving charge and nothing more. What about this is disgusting?

EllebellyBeeblebrox · 03/01/2019 20:20

I think it's disgusting that someone got such a paltry punishment after killing two people, and doubly disgusting that he clearly hasn't learned anything from that. If someone shows such a total disregard for other road users safety they shouldn't be driving. Not banned for 22months, for life.

Tubeworker · 03/01/2019 20:33

Why? Last time he was speeding, there was nothing to do with drinking about it. As his lawyer undoubtedly pointed out- the two instances are unrelated.

EllebellyBeeblebrox · 03/01/2019 21:02

Driving at dangerous speeds.
Driving after drinking an incredibly dangerous amount of alcohol.

Of course they're related. Both selfish, irresponsible, dangerous driving.

Parky04 · 03/01/2019 21:07

He will in all probability kill someone else with his reckless driving. Only a matter of time.

Fantababy · 03/01/2019 21:18

Of course the two incidents are related. He has proved that he is too irresponsible to be in charge of a potentially deadly vehicle, therefore he shouldn't be allowed to drive one. If he didn't learn some responsibility after killing two people, what are the chances of him having learned some now? He will almost certainly reoffend, therefore his choice to do so should he removed.

GalacticChickenShit · 03/01/2019 21:27

I predict it won't be long before he adds 'driving whilst disqualified' to his impressive list of skills (if he gets caught)

I think potential sentences should be able to be doubled/tripled/etc for subsequent similar crimes.