Families bereaved by
criminal drivers take call for tougher sentences to parliament
THOUSANDS of people have witnessed
Brake launch its new:- "ROADS TO JUSTICE" campaign in London. The
charity and five bereaved families made the calls for stronger charges and
tougher sentences outside parliament yesterday alongside the wreckage of Joseph
BrownLartey's
car. It was sliced in 2 by a speeding driver who ran a red light at 80 mph. His
killer will spend just three years behind bars.
The calls follow a survey by Brake, which found that most people back much
tougher sentences for all criminal drivers who kill. 66% of people questioned
think those convicted should be jailed for at least 10 years. About half of
people asked said the sentence for killing someone in a crash should be at least
15 years and 19.8% think drivers who kill should be jailed for life.
At present almost ˝ of drivers convicted of killing are not jailed at all.
The average prison sentence for a driver who has killed someone is less than 4
years.
The survey also revealed 91% of people questioned agreed that if someone causes
a fatal crash when they get behind the wheel after drinking or taking drugs,
they should be charged with manslaughter.
Brake is now calling on the government to immediately review guidelines for both
charging and sentencing criminal drivers. More than 7000 people have already
signed Brake's
petition calling for government action, launched just a few days
ago.
Joseph's parents, Ian and Dawn Brown-Lartey, said:- "Today
has been very hard hitting and a day of mixed emotions. When we see the wreckage
of the car, we just see the car as it was with Joseph sat in it, driving very
proudly, a car that meant the world to him. It's just hard to get your head
around really. But the support has been overwhelming, the Police have been
amazing, supporting this as much as they can; the MPs and the general public;
there were crowds of people stopping to find out why we were there. This is all
about helping other families so that they get justice because the sad fact is,
day-in day-out, there are going to be families that get that knock on the door
and the sentences just do not fit the crime. This makes it real, it's not just
another story. The evidence has been right there in front of Parliament."
Gary Rae, director of communications and campaigns for Brake, the road safety
charity, said:- "We've been overwhelmed by the bravery of the families who
came to London to help us launch this campaign and also the support from the
members of the public who approached us throughout the day to give us their
backing. This is the start of a prolonged campaign that seeks proper justice and
better help and support for families devastated by road deaths. The new Prime
Minister now has an opportunity to take action and make justice for victim's
families a priority for her new administration." |
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Final preparations made to
LIMF's Family Zone
FANCY going clubbing with your kids?
How about playing a game of human size table football? What about relaxing on a
sandy beach?
Liverpool International Music Festival's (LIMF) Family zone, located in the
heart of Sefton Park, lets visitors do all this and more with a packed programme
running Friday, 22 July 2016, from 5pm to 7pm, and Saturday, 23 July and Sunday, 24
July 2016, from
midday to 6pm.
A specially designed mini nightclub will re-live the heyday of some of the City's most iconic clubs including Erics, Cream and the Kazimier; with
projections, music and a dance floor with the aim to bring back some happy
memories for adults, and create a brand new experience for youngsters. The
eclectic soundtrack, which has been produced by DJ Katch23, includes tracks
ranging from Rock the Casbah (The Clash), Relax (Frankie Goes To Hollywood) and
A Higher State of Consciousness (Josh Wink).
There is also an area dedicated to traditional gamers who can get to grips with
giant board games such as Hungry Hippos, Guess Who and Twister. And the beach
makes a welcome return for 2016 after proving a hit with families last year.
This time it's double the size, with 12 tonnes of sand being shipped in
especially for the weekend.
Add to this a magical maze, street theatre, face painting, workshops and a
relaxed picnic area; it is the place for families.
Cathy Cross, Director of Make Space Create has designed the zone. She said:-
"There is so much potential when it comes to an area like this and we wanted
to do something that had a real nod to the City's music history and at the same
time would appeal to visitors old and young.
I think the club will be a highlight for many, but there is so much to do in the
area that we really want it to be an opportunity for the whole family to come
along, let their hair down and have some fun.
It's always fantastic to work in such a beautiful green space as Sefton Park and
I'm really proud that over the last couple of years, the Family Zone has become
such an integral and popular part of LIMF."
The City Council's Culture Liverpool team has commissioned Cathy to carry out
the work based on their brief.
Assistant Mayor and cabinet member for culture, tourism and events, Councillor
Wendy Simon, said:- "It's incredibly impressive how in such a short space
of time, Cathy and the culture team can transform a green area into a vibrant,
fun-packed zone for all the family. There is always a family friendly emphasis
on our events, and judging by the popularity of the area last year it's clear
that families like to take a break from the hubbub of the festival. With the
plans in place for this weekend, it's going to be a fun, immersive experience to
keep people entertained for hours."
LIMF runs from Wednesday, 20 July and finishes, on Sunday, 24 July. The free Summer
Jam element takes place in Sefton Park, from 5pm, on Friday, 22 July 2016 and finishes
at 8pm, on Sunday, 24 July 2016. For full details of the line up and information on remaining
tickets for some of LIMF Presents gigs, visit:-
LIMFestival.com,
@LIMFestival on Twitter or Liverpool International Music Festival on Facebook.
North West Fashion Festival wants models for
Liverpool catwalk show!
WANTED! The North West Fashion
Festival are looking for catwalk models. Do you have what it takes to be the
next Gisele Bundchen or Cara Delevingne? If yes, read on...! Auditions
will take place on Wednesday, 27 July 2016, at Liverpool's St George's Hall, in
the Great Hall. Both men and women are invited to the auditions, from 7pm to
8.30pm. Adults must be over the age of 16 and over 5 feet 6 inches tall. And if
your child loves posing, then now is their chance to shine as the panel are also
looking for child models aged 4 and above. The kids' casting will take place
from 5.30pm to 7pm. Models will be selected by a panel of industry specialists
including:- Karen Beardmore (Mode MWAH Designer), Mark Byron (Big Brother),
Charlotte O'Brien (NWFF Model Choreographer) and Lauren Greene (Founder of NWFF).
The successful candidates will then get the chance to model on the main runway
at the North West Fashion Festival that runs over 22 October and 23 October
2016, in Liverpool's St George's Hall. |