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Original poster

Daily Mail. hit & run story ... amazed a justice system!

34 replies

MrsBigD · 22/02/2006 13:49

Haven't found the story on line yet, but my colleague just read it out to me. Ok it's the Daily Mail but I'm sure there must be some truth to it...

guy steals car, drives without licens, doing 48mph in 30mph zone, hits 3 year old girl. She dies.

He gets done for careless driving and gets 12 weeks reduced to 6 weeks.

However a guy who dared take a teddy bear from the momorial place got 8 months in prison!

Go figure!

OP posts:
Northerner · 22/02/2006 13:51

The hit and run sentence is an absolute disgrace. We should all email.

kittyfish · 22/02/2006 13:53

I've just heard on the radio about a 28yo raping a 12yo and getting 2 years (this is currently under appeal). Who are the judges that make these decisions? They seem to live in a little world of their own.

Original poster
MrsBigD · 22/02/2006 13:56

2 years??? they should lock such individuals up and throw away the key!

OP posts:
Kelly1978 · 22/02/2006 13:58

why wasn't he charged with causing death by dangerous driving? With a charge of careless driving he would only be punished according to the standard of his driving hence the minimal sentance. The girl's death would be irrelevant to the charge.

kittyfish · 22/02/2006 14:00

This is who you need to contact to appeal a sentence:

ATTORNEY GENERAL
The Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith QC

ADDRESS
Attorney General?s Chambers
9 Buckingham Gate
London
SW1E 6JP
Tel: 020 7271 2400
FAX: 020 7271 2454

Original poster
MrsBigD · 22/02/2006 14:02

I know Kelly
my first reaction when my colleague started reading was 'surely he got done for dangerouse driving'... but no...

God knows what that judge was on

OP posts:
Hulababy · 23/02/2006 14:05

BBC story here

It is an appalling sentence

Original poster
MrsBigD · 23/02/2006 19:14

I think it's petitioning time again! It's just amazing how the judge could pass this sentence when the live of a family got destroyed!

OP posts:
HRHQueenOfQuotes · 23/02/2006 19:18

an appalling sentence - HOWEVER, the driving offence for which he was convicted doesn't carry a jail sentence (would be different I believe if charged under the dangerous driving law). Had the judge in this instance jailed him for longer, or for death by dangerous driving etc, the bloke would almost have certainly won his appeal as he'd have been sentenced for something which he wasn't charged with.

muma3 · 23/02/2006 19:19

i think that its disgusting , if the horror of losing your little girl wasnt bad enough that just is WRONG WORNG WRONG

Original poster
MrsBigD · 24/02/2006 09:58

HRH I appreciate this, but shouldn't he have been charged with something that carries a jail sentence? Who actually decides what a person gets charged for, i.e. careless or dangerous driving?

OP posts:
JanH · 24/02/2006 10:06

This piece from that link said he was being questioned on suspicion of dangerous driving - they must have had evidence that he wasn't driving dangerously.

Presumably the accident wasn't actually his fault. You don't go to prison automatically if someone dies in an accident, however tragic it is.

JanH · 24/02/2006 10:08

It didn't mention 48mph in 30 zone in the BBC piece.

cod · 24/02/2006 10:09

Message withdrawn

cod · 24/02/2006 10:11

Message withdrawn

cod · 24/02/2006 10:12

Message withdrawn

cod · 24/02/2006 10:13

Message withdrawn

Original poster
MrsBigD · 24/02/2006 10:19

hmmm fair enough I guess, however... on parole, driving carelessly in a stolen car... oh wouldn't it be nice if we had 0 tolerance for repeat offenders...

OP posts:
cod · 24/02/2006 10:33

Message withdrawn

Nbg · 24/02/2006 10:42

Apparentlt there was one witness who said he was driving erraticly, swerving in the road.

I know it's nothing to do with this particular offence but he has been convicted in the past for GBH.

Personally I hope he rots.

Hulababy · 24/02/2006 10:43

He also had no licence, no insurance, etc.

Nbg · 24/02/2006 10:44

That as well as the fact the car was stolen with a different number plate on.

cod · 24/02/2006 10:48

Message withdrawn

JanH · 24/02/2006 10:52

Similar case near here - it explains how the law stands.

Hulababy · 24/02/2006 10:53

I know you can't and I know what you are saying in the breakdown, BUT I still think that for what he has done he should be having a far longer sentence than 12 weeks. This is one of those situations when the law doesn't do justice for the victim.