Motorists who kill or cause serious injury through dangerous driving in Northern Ireland can expect to go to prison following a landmark ruling in the High Court in Belfast today.
Four men initially given suspended sentences had them replaced with jail terms following an appeal by the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith.
He went personally to the court last month to argue that the suspended sentences were "unduly lenient".
Lord Goldsmith told three appeal judges headed by Northern Ireland Lord Chief Justice Sir Robert Carswell that he took the "rare if not exceptional step" of appearing before them in person because of the seriousness of the cases and public concern.
Earlier in the year he appeared in a similar "guideline" case in the Appeal Court in London which resulted in sentencing recommendations being passed down to the lower courts.
He was seeking a similar result in Northern Ireland when he travelled to Belfast in June.
Delivering a reserved judgment today, the Lord Chief Justice said the four men should go to prison for terms of between one and two years. He gave them until noon on Monday to report to prison.
The four men told to report to jail on Monday are;
- Dean Noel James, 29, from Omagh, Co Tyrone, jailed for two years for causing the death by dangerous driving of Stephen Ward in December 2001. He had previously received a three year suspended sentence.
- Grahame Humphreys, 19, of Larne, Co Antrim, jailed for two years for causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving. He had previously been given a suspended 15 month sentence.
- Gavin Robinson, 21, of Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, sentenced to 12 months jail for causing the death of Robert Grimsley by driving without due care and attention and having consumed excess alcohol. He had previously been given a three year suspended sentence.
- Colm McGuone, 21, from Carrickmore, Co Tyrone, jailed for 12 months for causing the death of Vivian Nelson by dangerous driving. He had previously been given a three year sentence suspended for two years.
After the judgment the mother of Vivian Nelson, Margaret Virtue, broke down in tears outside the court saying the sentence still was not enough.
"He left my daughter in so bad a way, I couldn't even look and see her in her coffin it was so bad," she said.
PA