Mr McSkimming was driving at 59mph in a 40mph zone when he collided with keen cyclist Anthony Satterthwaite, 51.
He was travelling almost 20mph over the speed limit on Eastcote Lane, Solihull, West Midlands, when he lost control on a bend.
His car hit a tree and spun across the road and hit Mr Satterthwaite who was cycling in the opposite direction.
This was Christmas 2018. It's now Autumn 2020. What the hell took so long?
McSkimming, who lives in £485,000 house in Knowle, West Midlands, admitted causing death by careless driving at Birmingham Crown Court.
Yesterday he was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to carry out 250 hours community service and banned from driving for two years.
Well, that'll teach him...
8 comments:
Disgraceful! That comment applies to both the delay and the derisory sentence for taking a life by negligence. I've seen people get harsher sentences for insulting Islam in Britain, which should tell us that something important. It should tell us that for the Establishment, a Muslim's 'hurt feelings' are worth more than a life curtailed in this manner.
Certainly late, but arguably not worthless, though on the limited information, I would have preferred more than two years. This piece of scum will have plenty of time to reflect on his gross misbehaviour, and his insurance premiums will be enormous. Hopefully his 250 hours will be arduous. I'd prefer not to have the expense of locking him up. A pity that transportation to Australia is no longer an option. Rockall might be appropriate, though.
Whereas a 35mph speed in a 30 are is an infringement of the law just as 59mph is, there is a world of difference to a rational human being between
(a) a difference that is undetectable to a driver without taking eyes of the road to peer at a speedometer, and
(b) a speed that is blatantly in excess of a sensible speed on that road regardless of speed limits, is such that the driver loses control, and does not need concentration on a speedometer to notice.
In a modern car, particularly an automatic, the engine note is no longer the giveaway as to speed that it once was, and in any case, a few mph even in an older, manual, car was at the extreme end of most driver's judgement.
There is also the difference in road types where the 30mph limit applies. I don't think I could easily reach 30mph in the road where I live, with parked cars etc in the way, but 100 yards away is a road that although now classified as B and has the same 30mph limit, was formerly an A road, has no parking on it, and long views each way. Frankly, I doubt whether many notice that it is a 30, and routinely drive at 40, which in comparison to my residential street is a low limit. (Perhaps the residential street should be 20 - that would inconvenience no-one).
6 months suspended is pretty much par for the course for killing somebody with a vehicle. I still don't understand why self evidently dangerous drivers are routinely charged with careless driving instead of dangerous driving. You've just killed somebody, how much more dangerous can it get?
And the Home Secretary is trying to fool us all that meaningless increases to maximum sentences is being tough on crime. Here is even more proof, of any was needed, that the silly soft courts will never impose such sentences even if you kill someone.
@Frank,
How much more dangerous can it get?
Well, a Muslim might have had his feelings hurt. Or a slice of bacon may have been attached to a mosque door handle. Or a Black Person might have been called by a racist epithet. Or someone might have photographed some criminals, already found guilty and arriving for sentencing, just to show that they aren't 'persons of no particular description', because that perverts the course of justice. Or a woman who has been fucked by two footballers and doesn't mind might well be taken as evidence that one of them raped her. That's just for starters.
It might tell us something about what Anne Sacoolas might face.
"I've seen people get harsher sentences for insulting Islam in Britain..."
Depressing, isn't it? 😩
"This piece of scum will have plenty of time to reflect on his gross misbehaviour"
Do you think he's given it a second thought?
"In a modern car, particularly an automatic, the engine note is no longer the giveaway as to speed that it once was..."
I tend to drive big cars, and I've noticed that if you aren't careful, it's easy to start to creep up if you don't pay attention to the dashboard. Perhaps fighter-jet type 'heads up displays' would work better?
"6 months suspended is pretty much par for the course for killing somebody with a vehicle."
If I ever plan a murder, that's going to be how I do it!
"It might tell us something about what Anne Sacoolas might face."
I wonder if she'll ever see justice?
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