Bob
6th March 2010, 01:34
With leniency like this, what chance do we have?
"A car driver whose lack of attention has left a motorcyclist paralysed and needing lifelong care has been let off with a suspended sentence… of just 30 weeks.
Andrew Jones, 21, of Llanberis drifted across the road while adjusting his car radio and hit Andrew Peat, 35. Jones apologized to Mr Peat in court for the “dreadful” injuries and pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
In addition to the suspended sentence, Judge Merfyn Hughes QC banned Jones from driving for 30 months, decreed he (Jones) must take an extended test before being allowed to drive again, along with being subject to a 7am-7pm curfew for four months and having to complete 300 hours community service. Summing up, Judge Hughes said the offence crossed the custody threshold but he was going to suspend the sentence for the momentary dangerous driving. "
That a judge could award a sentence like this, at the very time the UK government is launching another safety campaign to try to make drivers more aware of motorcyclists beggars belief. I bet if a biker had paralysed a pedestrian becuase they were adjusting a mirror or something, the punishment would have been way more than a suspended sentence and community service.
"A car driver whose lack of attention has left a motorcyclist paralysed and needing lifelong care has been let off with a suspended sentence… of just 30 weeks.
Andrew Jones, 21, of Llanberis drifted across the road while adjusting his car radio and hit Andrew Peat, 35. Jones apologized to Mr Peat in court for the “dreadful” injuries and pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
In addition to the suspended sentence, Judge Merfyn Hughes QC banned Jones from driving for 30 months, decreed he (Jones) must take an extended test before being allowed to drive again, along with being subject to a 7am-7pm curfew for four months and having to complete 300 hours community service. Summing up, Judge Hughes said the offence crossed the custody threshold but he was going to suspend the sentence for the momentary dangerous driving. "
That a judge could award a sentence like this, at the very time the UK government is launching another safety campaign to try to make drivers more aware of motorcyclists beggars belief. I bet if a biker had paralysed a pedestrian becuase they were adjusting a mirror or something, the punishment would have been way more than a suspended sentence and community service.