A driver who sped away after hitting an elderly woman, who died as result of the injuries she received, has had his sentence increased on appeal by the Attorney General.
Daniel Chubb was driving at excessive speed when the accident happened. It was light and weather conditions were good when he struck the woman, who was halfway across the road. He did not stop and attempted to hide his involvement in the accident. Mr Chubb was not licensed to drive as he suffers from impaired vision. Initially, he denied involvement, but at the trial he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. He had a previous conviction for driving while disqualified and leaving the scene of an accident.
At trial, he was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, the judge applying a ‘discount’ of a third to the sentence because of the guilty plea. The Attorney General appealed the sentence as being too lenient.
The Court of Appeal agreed, considering that the ‘starting point’ for the sentence should be nine years, not six and a half years as used by the judge. It substituted a sentence of imprisonment for five and a half years.
The maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving has recently been increased from 10 to 14 years. Under the new sentencing tariff, a longer sentence would be likely. The Attorney General is showing an increasing willingness to appeal against sentences which seem to be too lenient.
