Teenager steering car with his knees paralyses woman.

Do not understand this at all, 23 months is supposed to be justice for what he did??? Totally wrong, is this really our justice system? I read the article and saw the pictures yesterday, such a vibrant lady and now a quadriplegic, her life and that of her family ruined beyond repair and she has to live like this because of a young man showing off who receives virtually no punishment.

It’s very sad what happened to this bright and beautiful woman who now can’t even cuddle her family anymore. The sentence the irresponsible driver got is laughable. He should have been locked away for years and given a lifetime driving ban. After all, why should he get to live his life to the full whilst the lady he injured has had her life ruined through no fault of hers.

MissAdventure

That's an insult, not a sentence.
U hope he never gets a minutes peace from his own conscience.

Both.

This - if he is capable of feeling it - a lifelong knowledge of what he has done.

My heart goes out to this poor woman and her family.

The sentence is quite pathetic!

Let us hope that the CPS appeals the joke of a sentence. He would have got more for football hooliganism.

What is a DH please?

If a boys' brain does not fully develop until the age of 28 or so then why does society allow them the ignition keys of what can become a lethal weapon?

They sent boys to war at age 15. God help us if men's brains dont develop until they are 28. I always wondered what was missing.

Macadia

The criminal probably did not get in the car with the intent to kill someone but acted his age, or younger, and was too immature to handle the responsibility of driving a vehicle. Do parents have to agree to let their teenager operate a vehicle?

The stiffer sentences would be reserved for those evil ones who have a plan and intent to murder, mame or harm others and are repeat offenders that can't be rehabilitated. They are locked up to protect other citizens.

To some degree I agree with you, this idiot did not go out with the intention of killing someone. What he did was thoughtless, stupid and immature and he deserves punishment, but what would a long prison sentence serve? He would be mixing with hardened criminals and would probably come out with a much worse attitude. The Driving ban should be harsher and with a need to pass another test in the future together with an advanced driving test and he should be prohibited from driving cars without a speed limiter on them for a number of years after passing.

Galton

What is a DH please?

It's a dear husband, or a darling one, depending on how his dear wife feels, I guess.

That's the starter for ten, and then we go onto the more complex ones, such as ex s.i.l and dd2 m.i.l...

Primrose53

www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c89vzl0lz55o

A lovely, vibrant mother who was a fitness instructor is now a quadriplegic unable to breathe unaided, unable to feed herself, hug her son or indeed do anything.

This stupid teenage boy drove into the back of her car at speed whilst steering with his knees and really her life has just about ended. Our local paper shows photos of her now but I am not sharing as they are just too sad. It isn’t just her life that’s ruined but her sons, her family and friends who will have to look after her.

His sentence? Just 23 months in a young offenders unit which will be far more cushy than prison and he will probably serve about 12 months.

Sentencing in this country is ridiculous.

More for hurty words 🙄

Galton

What is a DH please?

Darling husband?

I regret to say this country's laws are stupid

Members of the public can look at The Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme:
www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/unduly-lenient-sentences#:~:text=The%20Unduly%20Lenient%20Sentence%20(ULS,the%20sentence%20is%20too%20lenient.

Well, we have to get our priorities right. 31 months in prison, wasn't it? For posting a tweet during the hyped up riots when two-tier Kier showed most of us what to expect. Big Brother is watching what you tweet, but not how you drive.

Galton

If a boys' brain does not fully develop until the age of 28 or so then why does society allow them the ignition keys of what can become a lethal weapon?

They sent boys to war at age 15. God help us if men's brains dont develop until they are 28. I always wondered what was missing.

Boy soldiers have someone else making decisions for them and a higher up gives them orders so they know what to do. At 15, their brains have reached the half way point of development.

That is so terrible for the poor lady and of course her family.
Something must be done in educating these young teenagers of today, what with knife crimes etc. I would make sure each child, no matter how clever they are at the age of 14yrs to leaving school, should either go on a Duke of Edinburgh Course or a 2 week Outward Bound Course

That is so sad.

When these idiots kill themselves, it's natural selection in action, which I applaud. But they don't only kill themselves, do they? It seems there's no such thing as natural justice, and the human justice system is risible (or would be, if we could laugh it off). Depresses me no end, the way our society lets children do whatever the heck they want, yet gives them so many of the benefits which should only be given to adults.

I am no psychologist so I have no idea what sentencing should be like but 23 months does not seem like enough time of learning to me.

Forty years of working for her family for free is far fetched but seems better.

I would also be interested in learning if the criminal's parents should receive punishment of some sort if they had some parental neglect going on here.

I think Babs03 got it right at the top of the thread.
Reparation - facing the young woman and her family, perhaps after an interval doing caring work with her if she will tolerate it - and cancellation of his driving licence would be more to the point than a long prison sentence.

Macadia

(Please note: My post is a speculation and not intended to reduce the teen's punishment for this horrific act. My heart goes out to the victim and victims of this crime. )

If a boys' brain does not fully develop until the age of 28 or so then why does society allow them the ignition keys of what can become a lethal weapon?

I thought it was 23 years of age but it certainly seems driving should be restricted to older members of society. Even the most sensible kids can be show offs when they first learn to drive.
I'm not sure that the teenager will learn anything of value in prison. I think it would be much better to find something which would make reparation for a very long time. I'm not sure his victim would be wanting him around but there are plenty of people who do need help because they can't walk or feed themselves. With proper supervision, it might even help with the Social Care bill.

Where I live tge whole estate is 20 mph and its young females who are the worst. I often wonder if their age bracket had abolished numeracy at school as they certainly appear not to recognise numbers. Next, kids on electric scooters all over the footpaths and roads, daren' t say a thing. Then the nearby A road that is so narrow it has a 40 mph limit. At times I feel I am the only driver who adheres to the limit. The amount of speeding fines that could be raised would be enough to repair all the potholes in the county. The penalty imposed on that young lad is an absolute insult.

A friend of mine lost her husband because of unlicensed driver , in a stolen car, crashed into the side of his car killing him instantly.
My friend said she was deprived of her husband , the one who killed him got charged with causing death by dangerous driving, and after a prison sentence cut short by good behaviour was free to walk the streets again.Her husband had his life wiped out and she had lost the man she loved and had been married to for many happy years.

I live in a lovely suburban area in Worcestershire, well it used to be lovely but is now very crime ridden, usually by hooded yobs wearing balaclavas. I live alone and now I don’t venture out at night not even to fetch some fish and chips. I’ve had a thought. How about anyone over 16yrs who commit a crime that warrants a prison sentence is sent into one of the armed forces for 6-12mths without pay but given a very small allowance to buy an item of luxury like toiletries or whatever once a month. They would have no visitors or allowed home leave for their allotted time. They would be taught respect and could choose to become a regular if they wish at the end. I think this could serve as a deterrent. What does anyone else think.

That poor lady and her family. His sentence is a joke.

A few months ago our grandson who had been driving for only 6 months was coming home from work. To get to his home it was up a hill on an housing estate. Coming down was a neighbours son speeding, fortunately grandson saw the car coming and quickly turned into someones driveway. This lad went into a stationary van both vehicles were badly damaged and only the lad was injured.
This boy had been driving for over 3 years. Idiot.