Latest news with #lawchange
BBC News
19-05-2025
- BBC News
Sisters call for law change after man's fatal crash in Dunstable
The family of a moped rider who died in a collision are calling for driving licences to be revoked from anyone when they are arrested on suspicion of serious motoring offences. Bobby Smith, 29, from Markyate, Hertfordshire, died on the A5183 on the outskirts of Dunstable, Bedfordshire, at about 05:40 GMT on 3 March.A man in his 40s was arrested at the scene and has since been released on police bail, pending further Smith's five sisters have started a petition for a law change and told the BBC: "Something needs to change." The family want police to have the power to remove the driving licence of anyone under investigation until any criminal proceedings have sisters have been warned by police it could be two years before any case reaches court. They said their petition had been started in Mr Smith's sister Kylie Fury, 35, said: "Knowing that Bobby's life has stopped but that person's life is continuing, however long it takes to come to court , they are still able to drive a car. "We want driving licences to be suspended or revoked when someone is seriously injured or killed in a motor accident, or if you fail one or all of the toxicology roadside tests and then you go to the police station and you fail them as well."His sister Leanne Westlake, 33, said the family was grateful for the support their petition had received. "We got his picture on our vans. People come up and talk to us about Bobby, and tell us their stories. We're not the first family to go through this and we won't be the last," she said."Something needs to change." Ms Westlake described her younger brother as "the funniest person you've ever met". "He would be the one that would pick you up on your bad days. Whenever we would have an argument he would always be the peacekeeper. He wanted us to be happy," she sister Carolanne Smith, 20, had a close bond with her brother. "We used to hang out together all the time. He was the light. He made everyone laugh. It's not the same at home without him," she said. Mr Smith had just been promoted to team leader at courier firm 4PX in Dunstable and loved his job, regularly working six shifts a week."He was supposed to be on leave that week," said Carolanne. "But he got a call from his manager on Sunday, and, being Bobby, he agreed to go into work that morning. "We all told him not to go."Mr Smith was working towards passing his driving test and had a theory test booked for two days after his death, his family revealed. Sister Kylie Fury, 35, added: "He had so much to do. He got his passport at the start of this year because he wanted to go abroad for the first time."His life was work, his dogs and family in that order", the family has said. The BBC has approached the Department for Transport for comment. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Guardian
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
‘Misleading' to claim psychiatrists do not back assisted dying bill, says Kim Leadbeater
Kim Leadbeater has hit back at criticism from the Royal College of Psychiatrists over the assisted dying bill and said there had been no drop-off in support for it among MPs before a vote on Friday. The Labour MP said it was 'misleading' to say the RCP had pulled its support and that there were enough psychiatrists who backed the change to mean 'it wouldn't be an issue to get psychiatrists to engage' in the process. The RCP set out nine reasons it would not back Leadbeater's bill in its current form on Thursday, including a lack of resource and clarity over psychiatrists' role in assisted dying panels. The college said it remained neutral on the principle of assisted dying. The intervention is significant because under the bill's current stipulations a panel of experts including a psychiatrist would oversee assisted dying cases. Speaking to LBC radio, Leadbeater said it was 'not accurate' to say the college had pulled its support and that the last survey of its members indicated 45% supported a change in the law and 45% opposed it. She argued this meant 'it wouldn't be an issue to get psychiatrists to engage' in the panels to approve assisted dying requests. 'Anybody with a mental health condition is excluded from eligibility within the bill, we're talking about people who have a six-month terminal diagnosis only. And if there's any doubts about mental capacity either one of the doctors involved in the process now has to make a compulsory referral to a psychiatrist,' Leadbeater said. 'If you look at the process there are very strict safeguards around mental health conditions and around having that professional expertise and input.' She denied the bill was losing significant numbers of supporters before the next Commons vote on Friday. Asked about reports that several MPs had switched their position to oppose the bill, Leadbeater said she was 'certainly not getting that impression' from her conversations with colleagues. 'There might be some move in either direction but certainly not a huge amount of movement,' she added. Keir Starmer indicated that his support for assisted dying had not changed. Speaking to broadcasters during a visit to Albania, the prime minister reiterated that the government was neutral on the bill but added: 'What I would say is that from my own experience in this field, I dealt with it when I was the chief prosecutor, is that I do understand there are different views, strongly held views on both sides that have to be respected.' Pressed for his current opinion, Starmer, who in the past has been a vocal backer of a change in the law, replied: 'My views have been consistent throughout.' The Guardian reported this week that at least five MPs who previously abstained on the assisted dying bill had decided to vote against it at its next stage. MPs will debate amendments to the bill on Friday with votes likely on some key proposed changes. Starmer will not be present because he is attending a European Political Community summit in Albania. Lade Smith, the RCP president, said this week that it was 'integral to a psychiatrist's role to consider how people's unmet needs affect their desire to live'. 'The bill, as proposed, does not honour this role, or require other clinicians involved in the process to consider whether someone's decision to die might change with better support. We are urging MPs to look again at our concerns for this once-in-a-generation bill and prevent inadequate assisted dying/assisted suicide proposals from becoming law.' In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@ or jo@ In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at
BBC News
07-05-2025
- BBC News
Olivia Pratt-Korbel's mum backs more jail time for skipping sentencing
Olivia's mum backs sentencing refusal law change 7 minutes ago Share Save Claire Hamilton BBC Political Reporter, Merseyside Share Save Family Handout Olivia, nine, was murdered by Thomas Cashman in August 2022 The mother of a nine-year-old girl whose murderer refused to appear in court to hear his sentence has welcomed new powers which could see offenders who avoid the dock given more time in jail. Olivia Pratt-Korbel was fatally shot by Thomas Cashman when he chased a fellow drug dealer into her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on 22 August 2022. Cheryl Korbel said she had wanted to speak directly to Cashman and "look him in the eye" in April 2023, but was shocked when told he did not have to appear. A new bill was introduced earlier in parliament that could give judges additional powers to punish offenders who skip their sentencing. Cashman was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 42 years in April 2023 and Olivia's family have spent the last two years campaigning for a change in the law to force criminals to appear for sentencing. Cheryl Korbel told BBC Radio Merseyside she had been "annoyed, angry and shocked" when she was told Cashman did not have to be in court to hear the sentence at the time of his trial. She said the family had been "unaware" he could refuse to appear. His absence from court meant Cashman did not hear Ms Korbel read her victim impact statement, detailing how his crime and her daughter's murder had shattered her life. Ms Korbel said she had considered not reading her statement in his absence, but then changed her mind. "Every criminal should be in the dock and listen to the impact statement," she said. "No disrespect to the courts; solicitors and barristers who read out impact statements, but it is more powerful when it comes from a victim or a victim's family." Cheryl Korbel has previously said Cashman should have had to hear about "the pain he's caused" The measure has been included in the government's Victims and Courts Bill after calls by campaigners to change the law. It could apply to any case in the Crown Court, including for offenders who attend court but are removed for disruptive behaviour - like Southport killer Axel Rudakubana. Ms Korbel said she understood that some families might find a disruptive defendant distressing but they "should be given the choice to have them there or not". She said she had considered the prospect that Cashman could have disrupted proceedings. "If that was the case that he was going to come up causing a fuss and commotion, I would still have said that was fine, he couldn't hurt me or my family more than we were already hurt," she said. "I do understand other families who might not want to go through that." 'Ultimate price' Ms Korbel said the sentencing, including victim impact statements and judge's comments, should be relayed to a criminal in their cell if they refused to leave. "If they are able to hear it and they are handcuffed, they can't put their fingers in their ears," she said. "Change the law to 'you have no choice, you have to come up' or be forced to listen." Ms Korbel said campaigning to change the law had given her a sense of purpose. Her cousin Antonia Elverson said "We are doing this for the greater good, but we have paid the ultimate price. "We were just ordinary working class families and now we have been thrown into this world."
