8 Years - Should Have Been 80

[Canary42]

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lorry-driver-sentence-mobile-wheel-112444848.html

[Peter Pedant]

no 800 !
erm just setting the bar for the usual w/e craxy AB discussion

[Mamyalynne]

A paltry sentence.

[iluvmargie]

Just sickening.

[marval]

No proper sentence at all.

[Lie-in King]

Agreed, too lenient.

[naomi24]

How sad that the lives of innocent people are so cheap.

[ToraToraTora]

canary me old china, not often I agree with you and i still don't, 80? kin 800, death's too good for the scum.

[Tashi]

Far too lenient, I lost my Husband and only Child in an RTC in India years ago. They never did find the driver that caused it ;o(

[allenlondon]

All true.

But ... how many on here use their mobiles AT ALL when driving?

Stop doing it! Even hands-free isn’t completely safe.

A

[Peter Pedant]

// I lost my Husband and only Child in an RTC in India years ago//
extremely sorry to hear that T

I never really wanted to lynch drivers
I had it in for stabbers - and the then v v rare shooters

[jno]

PP, a lawyer once told me the reason for the low penalty for dangerous driving was that jurypersons generally thought "there but for the grace of God" and refused to find defendants guilty. I don't know if public opinion is still so lenient.

[Baldric]

"Even hands-free isn't completely safe"
What is Allen?
I drive, I talk to passengers, the phone rings, I press one button on radio and take the call like it was another passenger, we all do it.

[archibaldy]

Agree the sentence is too low and it's so worrying that the people killed were totally innocent - could have been any of our vehicles he hit.

Maximum for the charge is 14 years but the top end appears to be reserved for people driving under the influence, death by careless is max 5 years, minimum is 2 years. Seems like there is a lot of scope for clever lawyering in these cases.

[archibaldy]

To address the 'hands-free' thing I think this activity is safer than some other 'in car' activities as at least you can keep eyes on the road at all times.

Putting on sunglasses, picking up food or drinks, or even talking to other passengers where there is the tendency even subconsciously to look across or in the mirror all mean eyes off the road.

[ToraToraTora]

mobile phones at the wheel, especially texting are the new drink driving but much more dangerous, should be an instant ban for a start.

[New Judge]

He pleaded guilty so the maximum sentence he could have received was nine years and four months.

[andy-hughes]

I do not believe that any sentence works as a 'deterrent' simply because I do not believe that anyone commits a criminal act of any kind with the thought of consequences, legal or otherwise, in their mind at the time.

But, if sentences are offered as a 'deterrent', then they need to be commensurate with the level of damage done by the criminal - and this is clearly not the case here.

In a case like this, the fact that the accused showed remorse and pleaded guilty are taken into account when sentencing.

But that does not mean that the accused believes themselves guilty, or that they are remorseful - rather more that their defence counsel ash advised them of these tactics as a matter of course in order to use the system.

If the laws are framed by the people, and reflect our society's attitudes towards crime and criminals, then it is time that the sentencing guidelines for this type of crime are overhauled as a matter of urgency.

This level of punishment is an insult to the families of the victims, and their level of 'deterrent' is without any real meaning whatsoever.

[archibaldy]

Thanks for the info NJ regarding guilty plea. I didn't realise this.

[Theland]

Is it not time for Swiss style referendums to let the public have a say?
Politicians and judiciary always let us down.
Time off for this and that? Ridiculous!

[New Judge]

//Politicians and judiciary always let us down.//

Not the judiciary in this case, Theland.