Owen Chambers, who was handed a suspended prison sentence for his dangerous driving which resulted in a young boy being injured, will not have his sentence reviewed, the Attorney General’s Office has confirmed.
18-year-old Chambers, of Mountbatten Drive in Newport, appeared before the Isle of Wight Crown Court last month for the offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.
He was previously told by a Judge that he should expect to receive a custodial sentence, but at the sentencing hearing he was handed a 2-year sentence, suspended for 2 years. This sparked anger amongst the local community and a referral to the Attorney General’s Office.
It was on 25th February last year that Chambers crashed whilst driving along the main Whitwell to Ventnor road, as previously reported by Island Echo. His Mini One smashed into a Volkswagen Golf, injuring the 2 occupants inside – including a 9-year-old boy. Chambers didn’t offer any assistance to the injured parties, instead deciding to flee the scene.
The 18-year-old later denied being the driver, blaming it on his passenger. But his lies unravelled when video evidence capturing an admission came to light, which led to a secondary charge of perverting the course of justice.
The mother of the young boy injured in the smash said, in a victim impact statement, that she has not been able to un-see or un-hear what happened and how she can vividly remember the screams of her young son as Chambers’ vehicle ploughed toward them.
Mr Recorder McElduff said in his sentencing remarks that the incident was traumatic for the victims and that Chambers was extremely lucky no one was killed. Despite this, Record McElduff handed down a suspended sentence – stating that Chambers’ age was a consideration in passing sentence.
Owen Chambers was handed a 24-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years. He was also banned from driving for 3 years and ordered to take an extended retest. A total of 200 hours unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity days were attached to the suspended sentence order.
The outcome of the case upset the victims and led to the local community questioning whether it was right for Chambers to receive a suspended sentence.
The sentence was therefore referred to the Attorney General for consideration as an unduly lenient sentence. But it has been confirmed this week that no further action is to be taken – the sentence will not be reviewed.
The news comes days after Island Echo revealed that the sentence of peadophile Samuel Huckle will also not be reviewed.
It’s clear then that the attorney General is as fit for purpose as the magistrates and judges on this Island. Unfortunately if this continues there will eventually be anarchy as the general public are fed up. Just my opinion of course and I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen
Devolution will solve the problem
In the year 2025 I cannot believe the island does very
little to STOP speeding motorists
“”DAY IN DAY OUT VEHICLES SPEED EXCESSIVELY”
I pay extortionate Council tax and nothing is being done to
STOP speeding.
I would like to see more traffic Police and more speed
Camera’s.
Sort it out F.F.S
I believe devolution will help solve the problem,
the current lot in charge of running the island
appear to be clueless!
“I pay extortionate council tax” is inconsistent with more traffic police. The latter cost n=money which would have to be raised by increasing the police precept in the Council Tax. Which is it to be?
Who the hell does this low life know?? Any normal person would be slammed up, but not this smug looking idiot. HOW COME??
I agree with you, it’s not acceptable how he got off, fed up reading about people getting off all the time!
That is why the Island craves devolution,
that will solve the island being different.
Devolution will have no impact on judicial decision making. Most Islanders do not crave devolution.
That rests with the judge and not the Attorney General. The Attorney General considers referrals and decides whether they were unduly lenient, not just lenient. If the sentence falls witin the guidelines and is consistent with the reasons given by the judge then it will not be unduly lenient. The judge has discretion in the sentencing and has exercised it in favour of leniency in this instance. Many may disagree with the degree of leniency, as I do, but the judge has been given these powers and is entitled to exercise them.
WTF if he’s old enough to drive and behave like an idiot, he should have got a prison sentence what is wrong with the justice system it is an absolute waste of time! The poor family whose car he hit must be absolutely gobsmacked he got off! I bet the attorney general never even bothered to look at his case?? All a bunch of highly paid imbeciles who do absolutely nothing!
You are right, nothing to do with the attorney general will ever get reviewed, not with the man who let Jimmy Savile go running the country.
The Attorney General will look at whether the sentence was unduly lenient ie, whether the judge in the case adhered to the sentencing guidelines according to the evidence presented. It wasn’t, so it was rejected. Added to which, with limited prison capacity, sentences are having to be weighed more carefully against other criminal activity on the basis of public safety. For example targeted assault as opposed to accidental. IF he commits a further offence (any) within the next two years he will go to jail.
And for Enough is Enough, not even devolution will eradicate teenage muppets who think they’re invincible, not change the criminal justice system. Them’s the rules of limited power. It might be a good idea for people to re-learn the various different layers of governance, who’s responsible for what, and what the hierarchy means in terms of laws and powers.
Spot on.
What is the point of a judicial service here if such meaningless punishments are being handed out.
Can just hear criminals from all over begging to have their cases heard here
his mum said he was a big mistake
The family involved should take out a private prosecution against this smug low life. probably bragging with his mates about how he got away with it. They should contact injury lawyers to fight the case for them for injuries and damages sustained, and losses thanks to him. A lot of them work on a no win no fee principle and they won’t give a shit about who he knows or his age
Great idea.