Sentencing bid hits the airwaves

Two South Holland families who lost loved ones in road crashes have teamed up to join a national campaign.

The mother and sister of Amy Cooper, who died aged 20 in November 2022, were featured on various BBC news channels last week representing the charity RoadPeace as part of its FixOurBrokenJusticeSystem campaign.
They’re backing the campaign alongside Summer Mace, of Gedney, whose stepdad Paul (41), sister Jade (25) and mother Lisa (49), were killed on January 15 last year.
Aurelijus Cielevicius was convicted of causing their deaths after drug driving while meant to be on curfew. He was jailed for a total of ten-and-a-half years.
Amy’s killer Shane Kelk received eight years and three months in jail for the hit and run incident.
He then appealed his sentence in a bid to get it reduced, which was thrown out.
Amy’s sister Sam Pointon said: “We wanted to speak out about how difficult it is to go through the court system and how small and powerless it makes you feel.
“We also wanted to highlight how, while life sentences can be given, which is the line that has been rolled out, they’re not actually being given.
“The guidelines themselves are the issue, they’re overly complicated and the mitigating circumstances that can be given, such as lower sentences for drivers under 25, just don’t make sense.
“Even in our case, when there were multiple aggravating circumstances, the prison sentence only came to eight years, which will effectively be five-and-a-half years.
“He was on licence when the crimes against my sister were committed, and yet he will be eligible for early release again.
“There’s a lot of things that have been unjust in our case and so many others.
“So many victims and families are being let down by a sentencing system that seems to serve perpetrators better than victims.
“The Ministry of Justice is patting itself on the back for passing sentences that are “longer than ever before”, but that doesn’t mean that current sentencing is even close to good enough.
“It’s just slightly less pitiful than previously.”
As well as featuring on the TV news they were featured on BBC Radio Lincolnshire sharing Summer’s story.
“I’m so glad Amy was my sister,” Sam continued. “She drove me up the wall sometimes, but what are little sisters for? I wouldn’t have changed her for the world.
“We just clicked – I could talk to her in a way that I can’t talk to anyone else.
“She was this constant, vibrant presence in my life, and I still have no idea how to navigate life without her.
“The world is a darker place without her, and it’s impossible to put into words how much I miss her and how much it breaks my heart that she was taken from us so violently.”
Amy’s mother Amanda added: “We are trying to channel our grief into raising awareness and hopefully making people think a bit about the manner of their driving. After all, we are all road users and it could happen to any of us.
“Unless you have been in this situation, you don’t realise how long winded and distressing to grieving families the justice system is, you feel like the offenders have all the rights and the victims have none.
“I am sure Amy would be pleased about us trying to raise awareness, she hated bullying drivers and injustice, but she would be embarrassed by us making such a fuss about her.
“I think she would be astonished by the outpouring of sympathy and the level of grief caused by her death. I don’t think she had a clue how special she was to so many people.”