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| Family's plea over killer drivers | Family's plea over killer drivers |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An eight-year jail term for a drink-driver who killed a woman has prompted a 7,000-name petition to Parliament urging longer sentences in such cases. | An eight-year jail term for a drink-driver who killed a woman has prompted a 7,000-name petition to Parliament urging longer sentences in such cases. |
| MP Chris Ruane said he was "almost in tears" hearing the story of the family of Amanda Coulton, 21, of Denbighshire. | MP Chris Ruane said he was "almost in tears" hearing the story of the family of Amanda Coulton, 21, of Denbighshire. |
| Her parents started the petition to stop reduced jail sentences for people who admit death by dangerous driving. | Her parents started the petition to stop reduced jail sentences for people who admit death by dangerous driving. |
| The maximum sentence is 14 years, although new guidelines tell courts to use jail sentences more often. | The maximum sentence is 14 years, although new guidelines tell courts to use jail sentences more often. |
| Storey had a string of other driving convictions, including drink-driving, but his sentence was reduced to eight years after he pleaded guilty in June to causing the death of Ms Coulton, of Dyserth. | Storey had a string of other driving convictions, including drink-driving, but his sentence was reduced to eight years after he pleaded guilty in June to causing the death of Ms Coulton, of Dyserth. |
| Her mother Angela said: "Daniel Storey is going to be out in four years. It's absolutely disgusting. | Her mother Angela said: "Daniel Storey is going to be out in four years. It's absolutely disgusting. |
| There was no way that guy could have pleaded anything other than guilty. I don't believe he should have been given a reduction in his sentence Chris Ruane MP | There was no way that guy could have pleaded anything other than guilty. I don't believe he should have been given a reduction in his sentence Chris Ruane MP |
| "There's no way he should have been given a reduction in sentence. There was so much evidence against him there was no way he could have pleaded not guilty. | "There's no way he should have been given a reduction in sentence. There was so much evidence against him there was no way he could have pleaded not guilty. |
| "But he did, and he ended up getting a reduced sentence." | "But he did, and he ended up getting a reduced sentence." |
| She also called for tougher sentences for people who commit less serious driving offences, adding: "If Daniel Storey had been given tougher sentences for his earlier crimes he might not have gone on to kill my daughter. | |
| "Because of what he did, I am serving a life sentence. I'm the prisoner. | "Because of what he did, I am serving a life sentence. I'm the prisoner. |
| "There are so many things I'll never do because of him - I'll never be the mother of the bride. But when he gets out, he'll just live his life as normal. | "There are so many things I'll never do because of him - I'll never be the mother of the bride. But when he gets out, he'll just live his life as normal. |
| "Because he repeatedly disregarded the law, an innocent person has died. It's an insult to law-abiding citizens." | |
| Mr Ruane said he was "almost in tears" when the Coultons contacted him 10 days ago to ask him to present the petition. | Mr Ruane said he was "almost in tears" when the Coultons contacted him 10 days ago to ask him to present the petition. |
| He said: "They are so dignified. They are still coming to terms with their grief and they want something good to come from this. | He said: "They are so dignified. They are still coming to terms with their grief and they want something good to come from this. |
| Storey was driving drunk, while unlicensed and uninsured | Storey was driving drunk, while unlicensed and uninsured |
| "I agreed to hand in the petition, which is one of the biggest I have come across in my time as an MP." | "I agreed to hand in the petition, which is one of the biggest I have come across in my time as an MP." |
| Mr Ruane agreed that automatic reductions for guilty pleas should be scrapped in "cut and dried" cases. | |
| He said: "There was no way that guy could have pleaded anything other than guilty. I don't believe he should have been given a reduction in his sentence. | He said: "There was no way that guy could have pleaded anything other than guilty. I don't believe he should have been given a reduction in his sentence. |
| 'Earlier intervention' | 'Earlier intervention' |
| "I'm calling on the government to look again at the sentencing rules." | "I'm calling on the government to look again at the sentencing rules." |
| He also called for "earlier intervention" to try to discourage repeated young offenders from committing more serious driving offences, adding: "We need to re-educate them or punish them. | |
| "We need to be telling them that if they keep offending, there's a real risk they could kill someone. | |
| "And if they do kill someone, we need to let them know they will face the full weight of the law." | "And if they do kill someone, we need to let them know they will face the full weight of the law." |
| Earlier this month new sentencing guidelines told courts to jail more people convicted of causing death while driving, and and for longer in the most serious cases. | Earlier this month new sentencing guidelines told courts to jail more people convicted of causing death while driving, and and for longer in the most serious cases. |
| The Sentencing Guidelines Council's new recommendations, which judges and magistrates in Wales and England must follow, cover the offences of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. | The Sentencing Guidelines Council's new recommendations, which judges and magistrates in Wales and England must follow, cover the offences of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. |
| They also apply to causing death by careless driving and causing death by unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers. | They also apply to causing death by careless driving and causing death by unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers. |
| These two offences, introduced by the Road Safety Act 2006, are yet to come into force. | These two offences, introduced by the Road Safety Act 2006, are yet to come into force. |