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Prime Minister to meet fiancées of two cyclists killed in drink drive collisionDavid Cameron (copyright World Economic Forum:Wikimedia Commons).jpg

Prime Minister to meet fiancées of two cyclists killed in drink drive collision

Tracey Fidler and Hayley Lindsay have collected 70,000 signatures calling for tougher sentences for dangerous drivers
by Sarah Barth
Sat, Feb 21, 2015 07:18
37

The Prime Minister is to meet the partners of two men who were killed by a dangerous driver to discuss sentencing next week, following a prolonged campaign for justice.

Tracey Fidler and Hayley Lindsay will meet David Cameron to talk about the work they have done on sentencing since their fiancés John Morland and Kris Jarvis were killed by drink-driver Alexander Walter, who was in a stolen car, just over a year ago.

The collision left seven children fatherless.

A petition the partners created calling for a change in the law, “so if a driver receives a sentence for causing death by dangerous driving, the driver receives the maximum sentence, of 14 years, per person that has been killed”, now has nearly 70,000 signatures.

Walter had 67 previous convictions and was still on a four-year driving ban when he stole his partner’s car.

In April last year he was jailed for 10 years and three months at Reading Crown Court, and as we reported in October, he subsequently lost his appeal to have the sentence shortened, with a judge saying his actions had a "devasting" effect on the victims' families.

Miss Fidler told Get Reading: "It is absolutely fantastic that we have got a private meeting with the Prime Minister, it is pretty overwhelming. We want to thank everyone who has supported our campaign so far, the help we have received has been amazing and I just hope our petition gets to 100,000 signatures.

"Hopefully the Prime Minister will give his support too after the meeting."

Reading West MP Alok Sharma said: "I am very pleased the Prime Minister has agreed to meet Tracey and Hayley, giving them an opportunity to make their case for tougher sentencing for dangerous drivers and to further influence the Government’s policy on dangerous driving.

"The Ministry of Justice is engaged in ongoing discussions with victims as part of its review into driving related offences and I hope it will publish its proposals for any changes to the law as soon as possible. I will continue to work with Tracey and Hayley to ensure their voices are heard at the very top of Government."

Road safety charities have long campaigned for heavier sentencing in motoring crimes, believing that they attract low sentences that do not act as a deterrent.

In 2013 the government confirmed it has ordered a review of sentencing in traffic cases where a cyclist or pedestrian is the victim.

The review of current sentencing guidelines, which is accompanied by a consultation, is being carried out by the Sentencing Council, which is an independent non- departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice, and will cover the offences of causing death by careless driving and causing death or serious injury by dangerous driving. Proposals will be subject to a formal consultation.

Tracey Fidler
sentencing review
prime minster
Hayley Lindsay
David Cameron
Dangerous driving

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37 comments

Avatar
Kadinkski | 9 years ago
0 likes

This is a really positive development. Brilliant!

Avatar
richk13 | 9 years ago
0 likes

Great news! Shame it won't affect Walter's sentence. They should leave him to rot.

Avatar
DeanK | 9 years ago
0 likes

If you haven't signed the petition yet, it is here:

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/67911

Avatar
bendertherobot | 9 years ago
0 likes

This case is about as serious as any. Drink, drugs, stolen, convictions etc. In terms of the sentence it's "about right" in terms of credit for the plea v the max sentence. That's the regime we have.

And, I agree with them, we need a different one. But that's not going to happen anytime soon. Kill 2 and you'd be looking at longer than a murder sentence. That's going to be a difficult one to pass legislation on.

Most of the problems occur further down. We only have to look at recent judicial comments on ignoring the sun etc and the number of deaths occurring in our capital. An overhaul is needed of the entire system.

Avatar
ronin replied to bendertherobot | 9 years ago
0 likes
bendertherobot wrote:

This case is about as serious as any. Drink, drugs, stolen, convictions etc. In terms of the sentence it's "about right" in terms of credit for the plea v the max sentence. That's the regime we have.

And, I agree with them, we need a different one. But that's not going to happen anytime soon. Kill 2 and you'd be looking at longer than a murder sentence. That's going to be a difficult one to pass legislation on.

Most of the problems occur further down. We only have to look at recent judicial comments on ignoring the sun etc and the number of deaths occurring in our capital. An overhaul is needed of the entire system.

He would have got more if someone heard him shout Allah-ho-Akbar!

In fact he could have got a similar sentence if he had incited others to kill (and was a Muslim) without actually killing anyone. It is not Muslims I fear when out on my bike, it's uncompassionate and unaware drivers!

Avatar
Tintow replied to ronin | 9 years ago
0 likes
ronin wrote:
bendertherobot wrote:

This case is about as serious as any. Drink, drugs, stolen, convictions etc. In terms of the sentence it's "about right" in terms of credit for the plea v the max sentence. That's the regime we have.

And, I agree with them, we need a different one. But that's not going to happen anytime soon. Kill 2 and you'd be looking at longer than a murder sentence. That's going to be a difficult one to pass legislation on.

Most of the problems occur further down. We only have to look at recent judicial comments on ignoring the sun etc and the number of deaths occurring in our capital. An overhaul is needed of the entire system.

He would have got more if someone heard him shout Allah-ho-Akbar!

In fact he could have got a similar sentence if he had incited others to kill (and was a Muslim) without actually killing anyone. It is not Muslims I fear when out on my bike, it's uncompassionate and unaware drivers!

Err..have you been on the sauce Ronin? Wtf does being Muslim have to do with anything being discussed in this thread?

Avatar
ronin replied to Tintow | 9 years ago
0 likes
Tintow wrote:
ronin wrote:
bendertherobot wrote:

This case is about as serious as any. Drink, drugs, stolen, convictions etc. In terms of the sentence it's "about right" in terms of credit for the plea v the max sentence. That's the regime we have.

And, I agree with them, we need a different one. But that's not going to happen anytime soon. Kill 2 and you'd be looking at longer than a murder sentence. That's going to be a difficult one to pass legislation on.

Most of the problems occur further down. We only have to look at recent judicial comments on ignoring the sun etc and the number of deaths occurring in our capital. An overhaul is needed of the entire system.

He would have got more if someone heard him shout Allah-ho-Akbar!

In fact he could have got a similar sentence if he had incited others to kill (and was a Muslim) without actually killing anyone. It is not Muslims I fear when out on my bike, it's uncompassionate and unaware drivers!

Err..have you been on the sauce Ronin? Wtf does being Muslim have to do with anything being discussed in this thread?

Nothing. If you can't understand, then let me spell it out. Someone can get more jail time than this for just speaking. We are talking of a person that has killed two people. I can't imagine what the children that have lost their fathers are going through. They should make an example of this guy, but they seem to take perceived threats more seriously than real ones when it fits in with their agenda.

It's the same with tipper trucks. Tipper trucks have killed people in this country's capital city. They will kill more before the year is out. Is anything being done about it. No. I wonder how many people will be sacrificed before they do anything about it.

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