WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones will open a debate on a petition urging the Government to impose life sentences for death by dangerous driving.
As Chair of the Petitions Committee, Helen will open the debate on on Monday (July 8).
The petition, which has more than 164,000 signatures, was started by Glenn and Rebecca Youens whose four-year-old daughter, Violet-Grace, was killed in St Helens by a hit and run driver who was later convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.
In their petition they stated: “The men who killed our daughter drove a stolen a car at 83 mph in a 30 mph zone. They killed our 4-year-old daughter Violet-Grace and severely injured her nan, who has life-changing injuries. They will serve less time in prison than Violet was alive. I don’t want other families to suffer like this.”
They add: “In October 2017, the Government promised life sentences for death by dangerous driving. It’s now 2019. Innocent people have been killed, but nothing has changed. The law is out of date.
“Anyone convicted of death by dangerous driving should receive life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 15 years. If more than one person is killed or injured, the sentences must run separately.”
In response to the petition, the Government said: “Driving offences can have devastating consequences for victims and their loved ones. Sentencing in individual cases is always a matter for the courts, which are independent.
“This was a deeply tragic case and our sympathies remain with Violet-Grace’s family. No sentence can make up for the loss of a loved one but we are focused on getting the law right, to ensure the changes we make are comprehensive, proportionate and, we hope, might help avoid some further unnecessary deaths on our roads.”
Monday’s debate will provide an opportunity for MPs to question a Government Minister directly on this topic.
Both Warrington North (1,460) and Warrington South (1,491) feature in the top 10 parliamentary constituencies supporting the petition
The petition is still open until August 15.
