Double fatal Purley cycling collision triggers ePetition
THE PARTNERS of two cyclists killed in a Purley collision have launched a petition pressing for a change in the sentencing in dangerous driving cases.
Had their proposed changes been in place at the time of the resulting court case, the sentence handed down to the man found guilty of the deaths, which left seven children without a father, would have been doubled.
On Thursday February 13, the two cyclists, Reading Borough Council workers, 30- year-old father-of-two John Morland, of Elvaston Way, Tilehurst, and father-of-five, Kris Jarvis, aged 39, of Brocksett Close, Reading died, following a collision at 9pm on the A329 involving a BMW car.
Alexander Walters, aged 31, of Beech Road, Purley, was sentenced to 10 years and three months for dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking, after pleading guilty to a total of seven offences at Reading Crown Court on April 16.
The court heard he was two-and-a-half times over the legal drink/drive limit, had taken cocaine 24 hours beforehand and had 67 previous convictions.
The partner of Mr Jarvis, Tracey Fidler and the partner of Mr Morland, Hayley Lindsay, have recently raised an online, Government ePetition, aimed at changing the law regarding the maximum sentence of 14 years applicable in cases of causing death by dangerous driving.
“They classed John and Kris as one person – he (Walters) got ten years three months for (both) the deaths of Kris and John,” said Tracey Fidler, who continued that the families wanted the law changed so that the sentence would be applicable to each person killed in such cases.
“We want the sentence to be applicable to both men – which would double the sentence to 20 years and six months,” continued Miss Fidler.
Unable to sleep since the deaths, with her children also unable to face going to school, it was her family, she said, who were suffering the longest consequences.
“The guy that did it only got a little sentence – and we got a life sentence,” she said, adding that in other countries, including the USA, a life sentence would have been applicable.
“Over here it’s a stupid sentence – too soft.” she said.
The petition had already collected a total of 1,706 signatures yesterday, after going online on Friday, including, said Miss Fidler, the signatures of Reading celebrities, such as Ricky Gervais and Chris Tarrant.
The aim is to raise a total of 100,000 signatures before the end of March, to secure the right for Miss Fidler and Miss Lindsay to take the petition to Parliament and speak about their campaign, with the aim of gaining MP’s support for a change in the law.
An independent investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) continues into the role of Thames Valley Police in the incident.
To sign the ePetition visit http://epetitions.direct.gov.u k/petitions/67911.