Rugby MP Mark Pawsey has called for tougher sentences for those convicted of drink driving.
Speaking in a Parliamentary debate on Wednesday 22nd June Mark, referred to a recent surgery meeting where two of his constituents told him about an incident at their property involving a drunk driver which resulted in massive damage and could have resulted in fatalities.
Mark said:
“A constituent of mine who came into my constituency office last Friday to show me some absolutely horrendous photographs of a car that had gone straight out at a junction and into somebody’s wall, before demolishing my constituent’s car and sending bricks flying into their living room. Fortunately, it happened at an hour when the people in the house had retired to bed, so nobody was harmed.”
He continued:
“The driver was found to be driving under the influence of excess alcohol. The community order that was given to him was for 18 months for driving under the influence of excess alcohol, and he was disqualified from driving. However, for dangerous driving he received a community order for 18 months with costs of £80, and again he was disqualified from driving”
Mark called on the Government to address the issue of apparent light sentences and to bring back tougher punishments for those committing such seriouscrimes.
Reiterating the words of the constituent’s mother Mark declared:
“What kind of message are we giving to deliberately drunken drivers if we let them get away with such piffling sentences?”
Speaking after the debate
“I was pleased to be able to raise in Parliament the issue of lenient sentences for drunken drivers. It is a miracle that in the case my constituent brought to me no one was killed or injured and I am calling for longer sentences for those convicted of such crimes. I have written the Minister and I am pleased that he is currently considering representations from colleagues on this matter.”