Driver involved in Bristol tandem deaths ignored police request to stop; victims named

Has to be the maximum sentence this time, surely ?

Terrible what that family will be going through because of thus utter utter scumbag

latest update:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-21242077

So he failed to stop because he was already banned from driving and had no insurance.

Unbe-fucking-lievable. Another total scumbag who thinks his "right" to drive is more important than other peoples lives.

antonio

Absolutely, having read my previous post manslaughter would seem more appropriate. Let's see what happens.

I think the time for outrage will be when this case is judged and a verdict and sentence awarded, at the moment we should offer every sympathy toward the immediate families concerned.

camera do nothing for driving standards, only speed, and that is corrected retrospectively - The UK must return to more police cops out there on the road to reverse this trend

Forgot to say this is just awful - my heart goes out to their familes.

As they are likely to ignore any ban, a long jail term should sort that out. Just a thought....

For murder you have to prove an intention to kill or cause really serious bodily harm. He has to intend it. It cannot merely be a result of someone's idiotic actions. The trouble with proving death by dangerous driving is showing how he was driving at the time of the accident not when seen by the police earlier. This can be done by scenes of crime evidence such as skid marks or eye witnesses or other means. Without evidence of how he was driving, it is difficult to prove cases. It is not merely a case of the CPS taking the easy option.

The trouble with lifetime driving bans is that criminals ignore them. There is little incentive to do otherwise. If there is a hope of getting their licence back they are more likely to comply.

Quote:

Failier to stop for the police; hitting another vehicle; and then killing two cyclists, before trying to make his escape from the law. Has to be charged with Murder? Don't you think?

I know emotions are (quite understandably) running high but it's not murder.
Murder is the premeditated, deliberate killing of someone. What he's done *should* be classed as manslaughter (where you end up killing someone through negligence or lack of care to their wellbeing). The actual charge that he's been arrested on seems to be "causing death by dangerous driving" although there's obviously other charges in there as well - failure to stop for police and leaving the scene.

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/sentencing_manual/death_by_dangerous_...
gives a very good breakdown of what the expected punishment might be if they prosecute for DbDD. I *really* hope they throw the book at him - there have been far too many insultingly lenient sentences recently.

Being seen speeding and failing to stop before the incident should enable the offence of causing death by dangerous driving to be applied, since there is evidence that the driving was well below standard before the incident occurred, so it isn't a "momentary lapse of attention".

so that will be £70 and 3 points - or am I being generous...

This news is so upsetting! Yet another accident involving cyclists; and resulting in the tragic loss of life.

Carl said in his post : Open your windows and shout out-loud! Well, when we hear of another cyclist killed (murdered) on our roads, it does make you feel as mad as hell.

Cyclic Said in his post : MURDER! I think it is murder.
Failier to stop for the police; hitting another vehicle; and then killing two cyclists, before trying to make his escape from the law. Has to be charged with Murder? Don't you think?

I must whole-heartely AGREE with DOC, He said it all in his post! Lets hope the CPS DON'T Go For A Lesser Conviction In This Case!

Surely, we cyclists as a collective body, can do something to demand better education for all road users? Something that would bring to the attention of everyone, the dangers we face when cycling on the roads of the UK in the 21st, century. I hope we can? It may save a life.

Surely, if you have an accident and then leave the scene then this is murder as you have injured someone and then knowingly left them to die?

If the CPS are not capable of bringing successful prosecutions (custodial sentences) against irresponsible drivers who kill, whether they meant to or not, then surely there is a way of stopping them from driving again.
The sentences and fines handed out in court are woefully inadequate and in most cases, insulting to the families of the victims.
Surely a 5, 10, 15 year or life ban on driving is a better deterrent than, at most a 3-6 month suspended sentence at the tax payers expense!

To paraphrase Howard Beale from the film Network:

---
"I want you to get mad! You've gotta say, "I'm a human being, goddammit! My life has value!"

So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out and yell,

"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!!"

---

Shocking.

Deserves at least a £25 fine.

Be very interesting to see the sentencing in this one...has to be extremely tough...

Pretty obvious some motorists have no respect for the police, what with roads policing cutbacks (usually the first to go) doesn't look good for road safety. The UK needs more not less road policing enforcement, mobile VED/MOT/Insurance checks and more average speed cameras.

edit