3 years for killing 6 people?

[gina32]

is this a joke a foreign driver got 3 years of which he will serve 1 year for killing 6 members of a family through "careless driving" its disgusting like the family said it was a circus in court

[Everhelpful]

fredpuli,you are the first do-gooder to reply,Congratulations.!!

[Totterdown]

Apparently he would only have got the full five years if either he had other convictions, or no licence or insurance. Because he didn't offend on these reasons, he had a reduced sentence. The law is absolutely ridiculous.

[paraffin]

I think we all feel that the sentence is totally inadequate. And of course we would all feel deeper outrage were it, God forbid!, any of our own family members. Certainly we would, that's human nature!
However, the comments by "Booldawg" and "Everhelpful" are a disgrace. You both need to have a good look at yourselves in the mirror.
And before you accuse me of being a "do-gooder", I'm someone who worked within the Criminal Justice system for years and I realise how pathetically weak many of our laws are. And I'm also someone who believes that they should bring back the birch for persistent law-breakers, stick shop lifters and other petty offenders in the stocks in town centres etc, and that corporal punishment should be re-introduced in our schools!

[fredpuli47]

Everhelpful, whether you think I'm a do-gooder is a matter entirely for you , if irrelevant,but doesn't say what you would do and why.. Now, what's the answer to my question? How would you rewrite the law?

Non do-gooders please note. The jury heard the evidence and decided this was careless driving, not dangerous driving. You haven't heard the evidence, only speculation and/or reports in the press as to what it some of it was, or may have been, and what it may or may not have proved. The jury heard it all and decided it didn't prove dangerous driving. Now, would you perhaps, prefer that juries be abolished, lest they make such decisions in future? Surely trial by you, on the basis of press reports, without seeing or hearing all the evidence, would be safer?

[ELVIS68]

Most foreign HGV drivers are dangerous, they should be made to take a test over here first before they are allowed to drive on our roads

He should be locked up for life

[socket2008]

It's all about intent.

Someone that deliberately murders someone will get life
ie husband kills wife whilst she sleeps.

Someone that accidently kills someone but means to hurt them will get 5-15 years.
ie man punches another man in nightclub and the victim falls onto his head and dies.

Someone that dies because someone was not paying attention or was at fault.
ie careless driving

If you were driving home, had something on your mind and lost concentration for a second, hit a couple on the street and they died. Do you think you should spend 20 years in prison even though you don't have a bad bone in your body and wouldn't dream of hurting or killing anyone?

I'm with the law on this one no matter what outrage my views have on here.

[Ethel]

The amount of people in the car that he hit was beyond the control of that lorry driver - the fact is he would have been guilty of the same offence had he hit a car carrying one elderly person; or a bus carrying 30 people; or hit a crash barrier and injured no one.

The sentence is right, as I already said, and I agree entirely with socket2008.

[horselady]

socket 2008, you've made me think differently now. I had an accident years ago, tyre burst, lost control spun in a circle straight over a pavement and hit a wall. It was almost outside a school and I've always thanked God it happened at night time and no children were about. As you say, I could have killed children. ((((shudder))))

[ummmm]

I also agree with socket.

[k8bailey]

totally agree with socket. Whilst is very sad that those 6 people lost their lives, it was an accident. It's all a game of chance, like Ethel said he could have hit something else. This incident will have ruined his life, however long he's locked up for.

[LoftyLottie2]

Another agreement with Socket.

[Meg888]

Do you think Gary Hart expected his land rover to career off the road & land on to a railway line, which caused the Selby rail crash in 2001, killing 10 people? Even he got 5 yrs. I believe the driver of the lorry that killed the family of 6 will have to suffer his own personal "punishment" and that will be for life, but I dont feel he's been made to suffer the full consequences of his careless actions. You can argue - careless / dangerous laws driving as much as you like, but the laws & justice in this country are a disgrace - I think that is all Gina32 is trying to point out

[indieanna86]

"oh and he loses his licence for 3 years, like its going to bother him"

I imagine it would bother him quite a lot actually, seeing as he drives lorries for a living. And lets face it, nobody will give him a driving job again even after he gets his licence back.

I agree with Socket also. It was a mistake, we all make them, I know I certainly do. Unfortunately this mans mistake resulted in 6 deaths. I'm pretty sure he'll be paying for it for the rest of his life, keeping him in prison for 2 more years will help nobody.