Wife of Paul Stock hits out at paltry sentence of "absolute menance" who caused his death
IN an open letter, Paul's widow Mandy Stock gives the family's view on Graham Godwin's sentence.
WE have serious issues with the charges brought, and the sentencing guidelines associated with those charges.
The maximum two-year guideline in no way reflects the fact that a person has died.
However, we would like to thank the Judge for recognising the serious and continual disrespect this man has for the law, and therefore passing sentence to the best of his ability within the totally inappropriate guidelines.
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Graham Godwin is a repeat offender and knows how to play the system. As usual, this works in the criminal's favour. He has no respect for the law or life itself.
He made a conscious decision to insure the motorcycle so he could ride it illegally. He was disqualified, he was speeding, his speed was calculated at more than 40mph in a 30mph zone approaching traffic lights, with a pillion on a single seat bike.
To any sane, law-abiding person this is dangerous, but apparently not in the eyes of the law, therefore his manor of driving was "not an issue". The law is wrong, it should be an issue. The charges were wrong.
Nothing will bring Paul back, but justice needs to be done. His life was worth more than 18 months. This is not justice. Where is Paul's right to life? You believe the law and judicial system is there to protect the innocent and punish the guilty, but that is not the case.
We have no hope of changing the charging criteria, but will be seeking to change the sentencing guidelines to a realistic level to reflect the fact someone has been killed. The guidelines are totally inadequate.
4 Comments
by alsoafriend
Friday, January 25 2013, 7:03AM
“I personally think the charge should have been manslaughter.
I have personal knowledge of the driver and his girlfriend and they are both as disrespectful of the law as each other, in fact even the morning of the court hearing he was saying how he might even get a tag and she was laughing about things.
If i was a member of Mr Stocks family i would have been horrified at the sentance.
My thought got to Mr Stocks Family and also to the children of Mr Godwin, who i know are totally ashamed of him”
by raidermanuk
Thursday, January 24 2013, 6:37PM
“Are we sure that the law "is at fault" as opposed to the CPS being wrong in their assessment of this case?”
by bonzaharris1
Thursday, January 24 2013, 4:55PM
“Well said, IsitJimKerr, nothing to add there.”
by IsitJimKerr
Thursday, January 24 2013, 4:12PM
“Mandy, your dignity shines through this exemplary response.
You are totally correct of course, not only in the sentencing, but also the actual charge.
Killing with a motor vehicle is somehow construed as a lesser crime, almost that there was a piece of motorised metal that ctually did the killing, mitigates the actions of the user.
A knife or a gun are a piece of metal, they are not lesser crimes, and neither should this be.
You would serve Paul's memory perfectly if you were able in some way to 'change the rules'.
I believe there are ways of starting nationwide on-line petitions, you might be well advised by an expert in that field.
God bless.”