Injured golfer’s family attack justice system
THE FAMILY of a professional golfer left with devastating injuries after a horror crash has are shocked and angry the motorist convicted of dangerous driving has been released from prison early.
Andrew Richardson, of Princess Drive, Seaford, was airlifted to hospital with a broken pelvis, two broken vertebrae in his lower back and had to have bladder reconstruction.
His mother Aly Richardson said her 25-year-old son - known as AJ - was 20 minutes from death when the Porsche 911 Carrera he was travelling in left the road in Westham and crashed into a field.
Anthony Davis, of Rattle Road, Westham was convicted of dangerous driving following a trial at Lewes Crown Court in April and was sentenced to eight months prison.
He had admitted driving while over the legal limit with 95mcg of alcohol per 100ml of blood found in his system. The legal limit is 80mcg.
But Mrs Richardson said she found out he had been released after a friend had saw him in Eastbourne.
She said, “I think the justice system is wrong and the judge said he must do a minimum of four months in prison. “I didn’t realise after two months he could come out on an electronic tag.
“We could have appealed the sentence but at the time we were pleased, we thought he would serve four months minimum but if we had known we would have appealed it.”
AJ is now back at work part time and is undergoing intensive physio twice a week.
Mr Davis was also given a six-month sentence and a 12 month ban for driving with excess alcohol to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay £3,500 in costs and take an extended retest to be allowed to drive again.
Following his release Davis told the Gazette, “The judge said in court it was eight months to serve four.
“I did two months and I’m on a tag where I have to be on curfew for the two months remaining.”
A National Offender Management Service spokesperson added, “Home Detention Curfew (HDC) is available to low risk prisoners serving sentences of more than three months and less than four years, who are deemed appropriate.
“To be placed on HDC, a prisoner must have served a quarter of their sentence.
“If a prison Governor thinks there is a significant risk to the public, or risk of re-offending on HDC then the release will not be granted.”
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Weather for Eastbourne
Wednesday 22 May 2013
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