It would bring him back or provide any solace for his family but it does send out the message that using a phone whilst driving seems more of a crime than hitting a cyclist, given previous judgements.

http://m.stv.tv/news/tayside/1323885-julie-watson-who-killed-alistair-speed-on-a91-in-fife-jailed-for-five-years/

“You have demonstrated remorse which I accept is genuine for causing Mr Speed’s death…”

err, yeah – apart from attempting to destroy/delete the evidence, of course

Well there was the attempted post crime cover up by deleting the call records as well. Unlike some crashes a mobile phone user can’t claim low sun, momentary lapse of judgement etc etc.

I applaud this sentence and hope it gets out the message that if you kill someone when you are on the phone you go to jail. There is no excuse for using a phone while driving.

Just a shame that mere use is still a slap on the wrist 3pts.

I don’t see it that way. Other sentences for killing cyclists have seemed lenient. But I’d say that the aggravating factor of using the phone and then lying about it justifies would justify a stiffer sentence. It’s a deliberate act that led to his death, not an omission.

The judge said that while driving, “the use of a mobile phone has the capacity to wreck lives and literally[/i] kill”.

I think the word the judge is looking for is “actually”

It would bring him back

Apologies for the spell check typo in the title and body.

That should have been ‘won’t ‘

Read this and couldn’t help wondering if the 5 years was for killing a cyclist or for trying to weasel out of it by deleting the call record.

Total sentence 5 years for Death by Dangerous and “defeating the ends of justice” English pervert course of justice. So the actual death by dangerous sentence in all likelyhood would be less than 5 years as sentences in a case like this ought to be consecutive.

Similar(ish) sentence and ban to a recent fatal incident in greater manchester (not bike related) where a teenage driver (with a provisional license only, in a fraudulently hired car, who was stupid enough to post pictures on social media of his 140mph speeding antics) got 6 years and a 6 year ban; personally, I think this clown should be banned for life.