Drunk driver who killed charity cyclist Christian Smith jailed for five years

Unfortunately people do not give a damn about the law, only the consequences of getting caught...

So, when the chances of getting caught are slim, and the repercussions minimal, there will be no incentive not to offend.

Speeding is a great example... the majority of motorists speed because they know that they are unlikely to get caught, and should they do so, chances are its going to be an inconvenience and a financial pain in the bum at worse.

Which in my mind means you have to either;

- make the punishment so extreme that the low risk of getting caught is countered...

- similarly, that the social acceptence of the crime in question is so low, that people do not want to risk becoming a social outcast for doing so...

- or you simply make it more likely to get caught.

In the case of drink driving... you will struggle to make the chances of being caught realistically high enough, therefore you are left with long sentences, or social pressure.

There has to be something.

Reoffending rates are high due to a number of reasons inluding unemployment, high cost of living, the limited availability of low cost housing hence the terminology of sofa surfing, poor education standards and sentencing guidelines being to soft. The rehabilitation of offenders only works if there is something for them to return to in the first place.

First hand experience is the best experience imho mate.

Your turn for a low baller ! regardless of whether my wife, son, daughter or whoever was responsible they have to live with their actions and nothing could or would ever change that. Yes i would be devastated as would you if it was your partner.

for me this is akin to Manslaughter, if you go behind the wheel of a car over the limit you are dangerous and should be sent to jail for manslaughter and no chance to drive again. You lost that right when you killed someone. Be a cyclist, another driver or a pedestrian.

So sad for the family and friends who have lost Christian.

Disgusted at the driver. We do make mistakes but twice over the limit and driving is just so selfish that it takes a life?

They need to educate the public with video and harsh sentencing.

R.I.P. Christian Smith.

i feel sick reading this report - sick over the human being who was driving, sick for the wife and what she had to go through, but most of all , sick of this justice system - that gives these people more chances to kill and mame on our roads.
if that had been a drunken stabbing, drunken brawl or drunken push the fella over a bridge death, life in prison would be the call. cyclists, 5 years, out in 2. sick.

Whilst drink driving is as bad as it gets, I don't think random breath testing is any more of a benefit than fixed speed camera's.

I would prefer if there were more traffic patrols pulling in all dangerous driving.

There are bloody awful drivers out there who don't speed or drink, they are a danger to everyone.

A few of the lesser blamed for you:

1) old farts who can propel their vehicles forward but can't react to anything in front of them and never look in their mirrors.
2) invincible housewives in truck sized 4x4's who speed in built up areas and who mount kerbs at high speed.
3) the slouch, holding the wheel to to the left with their right hand or their chin on the wheel - can't react to anything.
4) the smoker, holding a smouldering device in one hand ( this is legal, but biting an apple isn't...) try dialling in 180 degrees of lock with one hand.
5) the plainly uninsured and licence less, who the police can also spot, but what's the point, they've nothing lose.
6) the 'careful' driver who never goes above 40 - but in built up areas never goes less than 40, this type of driver can't cope.

All of the above are a danger to everyone on the road, pavement and even in your bed, if you live near a road.

Full test every 5 years for motor vehicles, no exceptions, and a 2 stage test for new drivers, let's drive the standards up. It's a small cost to pay and will generate some revenue with proper instruction and an army of examiners. It's a privelege, not a right, it's a lethal machine and one that can't be trusted.

I do have some experience, as a former race and performance driving instructor, who has even taught the police conversion between FWD/RWD/4WD ( though now with VDC that doesn't happen anymore)

It would be good to say that having a licence should include bicyle or motorcycle (CBT) type competency, but I suppose that discrimaties against those with physical issues.

Agree completely about random testing, but even more can't understand why ignition interlock devices aren't compulsory. Together with mobile phone jammers, speed limiters and bkackbox reporters they could reduce a lot of the stupidity.

I now live in Sydney where a police roadside random breath test unit can pop up where you least expect it at any time of the day. Can't understand why a similar system doesn't operate in the UK.

I doubt any sentence is enough to deter this sort of thing as there is a prevelant attitude in today's society of "I'll never get caught" and "it'll never happen to me" (how many people who speed think they'll be "that car" buried in the wall on those notorious bends, or how many smokers believe they'll contract lung cancer from smoking?).

We need to impress on all drivers how easily these sort of incidents happen to us all. I wonder how many times this girl had driven whilst over the limit in the past, every successful drunk drive only serves to further reinforce the idea that it's safe to drink and drive.

I really do wish police were allowed to camp in car parks and just wait for drivers to wobble to their cars and drive off. I would happily give a breathalyser test if I was stopped exiting a pub car park as it would be reasonable to suspect I had been drinking whilst in the pub.

@Yennings

Don't kid yourself about mtbing, it's worse. You run the gauntlet of illegal motorbikes. Horse riders with little concept of respect other than you get out of the way of the galloping ton of dog food. Dog walkers whose pooches run around off leash and when they are the leashes are used as trip wires. Bridleways blocked with tree trunks and branches or neck wires.

Even in the wilds you've 4x4 off roader, cross bikes and ramblers. As for mtbs on road, slower moving target spraying mud on the road. Not to mention yuppy bikers who have dropped a couple of grand on latest long travel bike and have little concept of how to ride it. After 25yrs, it was enough to drive me onto the road.

FFS she was driving at 76mph pissed out of her brains!

For people like Bethany Mackie we need the death penalty.

Further evidence of how badly the traffic laws in this country remain stacked in favour of the motorist. Even the inexperienced, drunk, speeding motorist. Disgusting really. Not to mention fleeing the scene afterwards. I really am starting to doubt whether legislators will ever move to redress the balance. It's enough to drive a man onto a mountain bike and bridleways, it really is...

Should have been sentenced to the maximum sentence of 14 years, dangerous driving, drink driving and leaving scene, can't get many more aggravating factors. I'm assuming she pleaded and got 50% off the sentence straight away,

I've taken too many cases to Court where you get a Guilty plea or verdict and then the sentence just leaves you shaking your head and apologising to the victims. I would imagine the officer in the case feels likewise.

On release she should never be able to drive a vehicle again, no excuse for getting behind the wheel pissed.

Banning people for life is not the answer as its nigh on impossible to regulate.

Much longer sentences are the way forward so that someone knows they are going to prison for a minimum of 20 years if they commit the offence.

However that aside my deepest sympathy to the family on their loss.

Lying to protect herself (about the clothing) is evidence that she does not feel remorse, because it is an act of selfishness.

And what relevance is there if this is an "aberration"? It is not permitted to have such an aberration. That's the whole point of the law. The rest of us don't, so why should this offender be allowed to have one?

Far too light a sentence. Once again, the legal system tells us that it is acceptable to kill, providing you use a car as the weapon, and preferably kill someone while they are on a bicycle.

in attempting to mittergate her actions by claiming the rider was not wearing reflective clothing (a lie) does not sound like remorse! She will be free in just over two years. Justice ?

I hope the killer (cos that is what she is) thinks long and hard and chooses never to drive again.

And remember every day that she robbed a family and children of their wonderful charitable father and husband.

That would be a small gesture of genuine remorse.

Why should this person get another chance on the road, it wasn't a 'mistake' or a moments inattention, drunk, speeding, driving off.....

No way, life ban for all such things

The genuine remorse these foolish drivers feel is for themselves being apprehended.
"I honestly thought I'd get away with drink-driving".

RIP Christian. You sound like a nice bloke. My deepest sympathy for your family.

Very tragic. My heart really goes out to Katie and the kids.

As for Mackie, the punishment seems too light, as is the case in many such cases.