You are probably aware that MAG is concerned with what many consider to be lenient sentencing, for the perpetrators of crimes committed while behind the wheel of a car.
For example the unremorseful drunk driver Richard Borrett who said he didn’t care about killing Jason Mickleburgh and got three years, though he’ll probably serve one. Or the truck driver in the South West who fell asleep and killed Jason Molyneaux and recieved community service and court costs.
Well last week in the House of Commons Karl Turner MP (Kingston upon Hull East) (Lab) asked the following question:
“Does the Prime Minister agree that the maximum sentence for the offence of dangerous driving does not properly reflect the potential harm caused
to victims, some of whom are left paralysed and brain-damaged? Will he support me and Labour Front Benchers in moves to increase the maximum
sentence to seven years?”
Now this is not totally unconnected and we welcome the question, but given the responses we continue to recieve from the Attorney General
about sentences ‘fitting the guidelines’ I’d like to draw your attention to part of the Prime Minister’s reply.
The Prime Minister: “In our Sentencing (Reform) Bill we are looking at this issue and we hope to make some progress”.
The good news is that we can target lobbying toward our MPs when we see the full text of the Bill and ensure that we do achieve change. Causing death by dangerous or drunk driving must be taken seriously.
Death is not a mild inconvenience.