[Closed] Nine years jail for killing a cyclist but....

Indeed. Stable doors and horses spring to mind.

As always, there are no winners. Shame he didn't get the message or his head out of his arse before he killed someone.

Only six weeks before Lee’s death he was in front of magistrates pleading hardship if he lost his driving licence.

😡

Absolutely devastating story.

Two children now left without a dad because magistrates took pity on the **** not being able to work if he lost his licence.

He could have ****ing cycled to work.

[quote=Jef Wachowchow ]Shame he didn't get the message

He got the message and was just sending a reply...

In my fantasy world this incident would prompt a review of the system where leniency is shown to drivers who repeatedly break the law and plead hardship as a reason not to lose their licence.

In the real world driving a car will continue to be seen as a right and getting drivers to obey the law as War On Motorists.

Surely you get one chance of the 'hardship' get out of jail card. Sad.

Hopefully someone sticks him while he's inside.

I do wonder why, if your driving licence is so important to you, people behave like idiots behind the wheel time and time again.

As has been said, one plea for hardship, but to continue to hold the law in such disregard, tough.

Enough with the leniency, time to get tough.

Judge 4,5 and 6 should have took his license off him. FFS a driving license is a privilege not a right.

Personal opinion, the earlier magistrates should be tried as accessories. Getting caught once, going by the numbers who use mobiles takes some doing, but 6-7 times! He must have lived on the phone!

“The magistrates chose to allow the defendant to keep his licence. The result of this lenient approach to such a serious offence was the death of Lee Martin only six weeks later.

“While Lee’s death is clearly the fault of the defendant, we feel the legal system is somewhat to blame. The leniency shown in this case on the defendant, and the lack of understanding of the serious nature of using a phone while driving has resulted in Lee Martin’s death.

"While this carries on, there will be more families in this tragic situation.”

THIS

Something has to change

Indeed. Surely it can only be seen as negligence of the courts? Are judges held in any way responsible for their decisions, or are they completely immune from the law?

Judge 4,5 and 6 should have took his license off him. FFS a driving license is a privilege not a right.

I totally agree with the sentiment but it's important to note that these are magistrates, lay people who sit in judgement on minor offences and who are guided by a clerk of the court.

It's been many years since I reported on magistrates court, but back then they were usually from a certain well-to-do, jag driving, middle class section of society - and their knowledge of the law was sometimes worse than mine.

I really don't understand the whole "I need my licence to work" thing. I used to need my licence to work, you know what I did? I drove carefully and safely and didn't get any points. I work with kids, if I get caught child molesting I don't get to say "Oh but if you put me on the sex offender's register, I'll lose my job", and the judge goes "Aye, fair point, have4 hours community service instead". It makes no sense to remove the consequences. If anything, someone who drives professionally should be held to a higher standard not a lower one.

I dont understand
Caught using mobile = 3 points and a £100 fine?
Caught 6 times = 18 points
12 points in 3 years = ban( hammer ) time , yes?
So why is he still driving around ?
Is there no way of ' topping up ' the points and / or fines so that each time you are caught the punishments get so severe only a moron would continue to offend ?
If not , why not?

There's a few drivers out there on 20 points+.

I don't have to say what everyone feels on this.

Have a colleague who's on 15 points, all from using a phone or not wearing a seatbelt. Still does both. Managed to plead hardship and keep his license despite him living 2 miles from work and doing a desk job.

I've called him a c*** to his face when I see him do it and he just laughs 🙁