Death of 2 by dangerous/drunk driving

[spottycatflap]

Don't want to get into to much on here. Just wanting to know if anyone knows what the max and minimum sentence is for killing 2 people in a car accident due to dangerous and drunk driving!

What an awful situation.

Have a look at this:

www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Death-by-driving-sentencing-leaflet-for-web1.pdf

I really hope you haven't lost those poor people who died.

Thank you. Not me personally but a close friend. It's an horrible horrible thing to happen to them

I'm so sorry. What a terrible shock for them and what a waste of life.

14 years
Depends if they've done it before
Minimum is 14 years halved, halved again for good behaviour etc

Don't think they have done it before.
Also what I'm told is the person who did it is a "good" person with a family and runs their own business. Is going through a rough time, break down and it's out of character.
If this makes a difference?

Prison sentences do not get halved a second time for good behaviour.utter nonsense.

This is the correct link to the sentencing
https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/crown-court/item/causing-death-by-dangerous-driving/

You have to realistically assess whether it is a Category A or Category B offence, and look at the range. 14years would be unusual.

Completely wrong. The maximum was increased in 2022 and it is now life imprisonment. Even when that was the maximum, it was not halved for a first offence. It is also not true that all prisoners can be released after half the sentence for good behaviour.

@spottycatflap The sentencing guidelines can be seen at Causing death by dangerous driving – Sentencing (sentencingcouncil.org.uk). As the driver was drunk, this is at least a culpability B offence and could be culpability A depending how far over the limit they were. It could also fall into culpability A if any of the other factors listed were present. If it is culpability B, the starting point for a single death is 6 years and the sentence would be in the range 4-9 years. If it is culpability A, the starting point is 12 years and the range is 8-18 years. As there were two deaths, this will push the starting point upwards and may allow the court to go over the maximum sentence in the guidelines.

It will make a difference yes, it will be considered in mitigation because it is a way that this individual can get back to being a useful member of society again.

I’m saying this not to upset, but so that you can prepare your friend for what is realistic.
The range for category B is 4-9 years. You have a better understanding of the actual situation so can tell what is realistic. Don’t stretch upwards to please your friend now; you are doing her no favour.

For sentencing this individual, your friends distress is already priced in.