2014-02-13 - Riders Down/Double Fatality - Purley, West Berkshire

Boiling with anger. Just unbelievable.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/1670954.stm

Terrible, so sad.

we wait for an accurate verdict
this is one of the worst cases, the rd was not flooded!
our thoughts are with the family's
IF a wrongness - an example must be made.

thoughts and prayers for john and kris and their families and friends.

Terrible news.

It's possible in a civil action in a case like this that the police would be jointly liable for the collision. In Criminal Law there is no precedent for police liability in this type of incident. May be that should be up for review. if the roads narrow etc, then may be any chase should be by 'copter etc.
That's no comfort for the relatives.
This case is so sad.

Driver sentenced to more than 10 years. I only have a text version, so posting that here.

  April 16 (Press Association) -- A motorist who killed two 

cyclists after driving a stolen BMW sports car while nearly two-
and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit has been sentenced
to ten years and three months in prison.

  Alexander Farrar Walter, 31, of Purley on Thames, 

Berkshire, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving
of John Morland, 30, and 39-year-old Kris Jarvis on February 13
this year.

  He pleaded guilty to seven offences at Reading Crown 

Court which also included aggravated vehicle-taking, driving
while disqualified, driving while disqualified and driving
while uninsured.

  He was arrested in connection with a collision on the 

A329 Purley Rise at around 9pm.

  Tests showed he had 191 mg of alcohol in 100 millitres of 

blood - nearly two-and-half times the legal limit - and he had
also taken cocaine within the previous 24 hours. He had been
driving the black convertible at around 70mph in a 30mph zone
when he lost control and smashed in to the two cyclists, who
were on the footpath and wearing safety helmets, from behind.
Walter then hit a lamp post.

  Judge John Reddihough told Walter that "two completely 

innocent young men and with families" were killed as a result
of your "thoughtless, selfish and dangerous actions".

  He said the evidence against Walter was "overwhelming" 

adding: "Seven children are left without a father and two women
have been left without partners. Of course there is also the
effect on the other members of their family."

  Walter was sentenced to 10 years and three months for 

causing death by dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle
taking. He was also sentenced to 12 months for each of the
other offences to run concurrently.

  The court was told that Walter had fled from police who 

had been alerted by his partner that he had stolen the car just
minutes before the crash.

  The court was also told that he had appeared in court on 

14 occasions over 67 offences which ranged from obtaining
property by deception, dishonesty, false representation, making
a bomb hoax and that he had been disqualified from driving for
four years in 2010. He should not have been back on the road
behind the wheel until December this year.

10 years isn't enough.

^ This. What a fucking sad tale.

Ten years really isn't enough! How many different types of shithead was he managing to be in one moment? Amazing. Clearly a complete waste of air.

Ten years may seem a short term but it's far longer than the standard slap on the wrist which many seem to get away with, a step in the right direction though still a slap in the face of two devastated families.

Yes, it's a long sentence. I don't know much about the law, but this suggests that in practice prison terms for manslaughter tend to be shorter (four to nine years), even though in theory the upper limit is life imprisonment. So this appears to be very close to the upper limit of a sentence that's possible--I think it was fourteen years for causing death by dangerous driving. Legal eagles please correct me if this is nonsense.

In any case, it's a terrible tragedy that won't be forgotten too soon.

Glad he got some prison time, my sister and her family live in Purley and in glad he won't be on the roads near them.

In Reading today a guy who caused GBH to a policeman got 9 years.
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/burglar-who-caused-life-threatening-injuries-6998113
Shows how two cyclists lives are valued by the justice system.
A disgraceful sentence in my opinion, given the circumstances.

.

I imagine it's the same guy http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3840039.stm

Yes, posted further up in this thread.

So out in 5..

It's basically the max he could have got under current legislation. 14 years is statutory max and he pleaded guilty so gets a reduction for that. Similar situation to that driver in Bristol who killed the couple on the tandem. And yes, ^ on a normal determinate sentence you serve half in prison and half on licence. That's down to Parliament rather than the courts.
GBH isnt comparable as an offence as that requires intent to cause serious injury whereas presumably this piece of shit did not set out to kill the two cyclists. I would argue that the liklihood of killing someone is so high that strictly intending it or not is essentially meaningless.

This is so sad. Two young dads killed, 7 children without fathers and 2 widows. Tragic

Ten years may seem a short term but it's far longer than the standard slap on the wrist which many seem to get away with, a step in the right direction though still a slap in the face of two devastated families.

You're forgetting he'll be out in 5!

The shame is who died and whom survived.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10790048/The-vicar-his-adopted-son-and-a-new-life-that-ended-in-tragedy.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10790048/The-vicar-his-adopted-son-and-a-new-life-that-ended-in-tragedy.html

That is really sad and very upsetting.

Sign this: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/67911

A year ago now, and a nice memorial ride on Friday
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/pictures-kris-jarvis-john-morland-8647838