[Collette Wright]

In an unfortunate unfolding of events, an unsupervised learner driver has killed a cyclist after dropping his mother off at chip shop.

Causing death by driving while unlicensed was introduced 2 years ago and perpetrators can get up to two years in prison. However, the driver, Michael Rodriguez has walked free from court.

You can read the full article by clicking this link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...chip-shop.html

Given the circumstances, what do you think of his sentence?

[MrDanno]

He should have got the full punishment. He clearly knew he was breaking the law by driving without supervision.

[smudger]

Its just another example of this new British Justice system, which is basically disgusting!

Every day we read in the press about such instances, where the person gets "let off":mad:

Only recently, I read in the paper that the government was basically saying to burglars,... "if you don't nick any family heirlooms, you wont get prison time"

So its OK to break in ans steal DVD/TVs and other such modern stuff:mad:

[Rolebama]

I didn't think it necessary to read the article to feel that if a person kills another whilst breaking the law, that person should be prosecuted for manslaughter, at the very least, and a mandatory prison sentence should be given. The mandatory sentence should be such that it is a very positive deterrent, and widely advertised. The only advertising that happens seems to be when someone gets 'let off', and that is not conducive to deterring these characters.

[MrDanno]

Rolebama, You can rest assured if he held a full licence and was an experienced driver he would have got a worse sentence.

For some reason people that do not comply with the rules and laws seem to be treated leniently compared to those who actually try to abide by the law.

[barrie radford]

I agree - a car, used in the wrong hands is potentially a lethal weapon. To drive on the roads without a license is an absolute disgrace!

The guy without a license took a gamble and it backfired, he should have recieved a jail sentance - a sentance that would have sent a clear message to the public that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.

Apparently the junction was obscured and the victim was cycling down the road in the wrong direction, it could have happened to the most experienced driver, but this irrelevent, the driver broke the law, killed a man and deserves to face the consequence.

The grieving parents must feel very let down by the system of justice.

[Snowball]

So, the junction was obscured, and the cyclist was riding on the wrong side of the road. Both situations are commonplace, and experienced drivers deal with them regularly.

Don't Rodriguez and the inept magistrate know that is precisely why there are legally enforced tuition and tests to certify the competence to drive.

Deserves nothing less than a prison sentence.:mad:

[ficklejade]

He should have gone to prison because he knew he was breaking the law. He might have got a couple of months dispensation as the cyclist was also breaking the law but I wouldn't have given it because the cyclist isn't alive to be punished.

I am so sorry for that family.