Motorist jailed

[Piemaster]

HERE
Drunk (best part of 3x limit), fled scene.
Cyclist blinded in 1 eye and a general mess from the account.

 

[jefmcg]

She has now been jailed for two years after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

This makes me happy. Yes, she fled the scene, but she was very drunk indeed. Sober, she's owned up to what she done, pleaded guilty to a serious crime and taken her punishment.

This does not absolve her: she put 3 children's lives at risk, and all the other road users as well. But sometimes I am more shocked by the way people try to weasel their way out of trouble than I am by the original momentary lapse**.

**her momentary lapse was taking one more pint. After that, several more followed, and all of the terrible results that ensued.

 

[Markymark]

I agree will the of the above part from the 'punishment' bit. 2 years is not really a punishment for such a crime.

 

[Piemaster]

She pleaded guilty and a first offence. Both will have been considered when sentencing.
Don't know if it would have been longer/shorter if it had been a queue at a bus stop or another car she had hit, but from some of the sentences reported on and linked to on CC with regards to cycling incidents I'd actually call it a result.

 

[Drago]

If she behaves herself she'll only serve 1 year, hardly a fitting punishment for disabling someone.

 

[Dan B]

If she behaves herself she'll only serve 1 year, hardly a fitting punishment for disabling someone.

Well, what can be done about that?

 

[CopperCyclist]

"Fragments of glass from Partridge's vehicle were found on Mr Carter's clothing, which led police to her home in Trinity Road."


Bloody hell, what sort of portable CSI magic do the cops have there?

 

[Falco Frank]

What compensation for the poor cyclist, I wonder?

 

[NormanD]

Partridge was also banned from driving for two years and 11 months.

Not good enough, should be an instant 5 year ban for first offence, 10 years for second offence, life time ban for third, ban should be enforced on the first day of release from any prison sentence.

 

[Drago]

Should be banned for life for causing a life changing injury to someone. Poor victim has got a life as sentence as regards his eyesight.

 

[Piemaster]

ban should be enforced on the first day of release from any prison sentence.

From the RAC site, they are. A recent change though.
From the looks of this it was the most jail time the Judge could give as a sentence, below actually killing the victim.

 

[jefmcg]

In my opinion, the sentence is fair.

It's generally agreed that there are three purposes to imprisonment: deterrent, reform and retribution.

Reform: She's going to be away from her child for a while; she's going to have a miserable time in prison; life is going to be harder with a criminal record - employment, travel, finance etc. I think she'll find plenty of reasons to not do it again.
Deterrent - Yup, the above pretty well acts as a deterrent to me. I would avoid doing something I felt might lead to ending up in prison.
Retribution - Is this something we want in a civilized society? I would rather someone was reformed and making themselves a valuable of society, rather than rotting in prison at huge cost. If you want retribution in this case, should we go biblical? An eye for an eye?