Tuesday, January 7, 2014

MP demands tougher sentencing for serious driving offences

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones is to introduce a new Bill in Parliament tomorrow (Wednesday) calling a review of sentencing for serious driving offences.
 
The Bill stems directly from a local campaign after nine-year-old Robert Gaunt of Overton died after being knocked down by a car on the road near his home in 2009.
 
The car was driven by an unlicensed and uninsured driver who was jailed for 22 months and banned from driving for four years after he admitted perverting the course of justice.  He only served 10 months in jail.

Robert’s family and the local community began a Justice for Robert campaign that called for a change to the law. More than 3,300 people have signed a petition and they have been supported by their local MP.

Susan Elan Jones said: "My Bill calls for the Secretary of State to undertake a review of the maximum penalties for driving offences that lead to death and serious injury. The Labour Party frontbench are supporting this Bill and I very much hope the Government will do so too.
 
“For far too long, people who commit serious driving offences have received unduly lenient sentences. That’s why we need this review.

“My constituents embarked on a campaign to secure Justice for Robert. We can never of course secure true justice for a young boy so tragically and needlessly deprived of his life.  But what I hope we can do is to take action that will save more families from similar heartbreak in the future."

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