04-Feb-2010 08:45
Just some thoughts on the sentencing for the elderly woman who killed a cyclist while drunk.
Jail is the right place. I think we are too lenient about drink driving. Jail is probably appropriate on the second conviction rather than the fourth.
We treat drink drivers too lightly. They are the most dangerous people in society. They are a greater risk to us than anyone else – they are more likely to kill us than murderers or gang members. What's more, they tend to have very little recollection of the seriousness of their offending. Lock them up.
Interestingly enough look at what is in common between yesterdays two big news stories – the Manurewa murder and the granny drink driver – alcohol!
Can I also say that whether drink drivers kill or not is in some ways irrelevant? The crime is getting behind the wheel of a car and driving. All recidivist drink drivers should be jailed, whether they kill or not, because it is only ever a matter of time and luck!