Father found guilty of killing four of his kids in a car accident

[Yorick]

Hasn't the family suffered enough?
Must the three remaining children, after losing their siblings, now be without their father too?

What is with people?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20081217/...s-dba1618.html

Father guilty of children's deaths Lincoln Crown Court was told Nigel Gresham had been driving his heavily-modified vehicle too fast when it ended up plunging into the River Witham in Lincolnshire in September last year. Gresham had mounted a grass verge to avoid an oncoming van and trailer, and when he tried to return to the road, the corroded bracket, or hanger, snapped, sending the car into the water near Tattershall Bridge. The crash killed four of his seven children - two-year-old Willow, Angel, four, Thor, six, and eight-year-old Keavy. Gresham, 37, his partner Sara Bolland and their three eldest children - Amber, 11, Liam 14, and Star, also 14 - survived the crash. The accused did not take the stand and no evidence was offered in his defence during the trial. Gresham, of Chapel Hill, Lincolnshire, has sat slumped in the dock, head bowed, through much of the trial. He became visibly upset at mentions of his children. He had denied all four counts against him.

[dplax]

Kicking someone when he's down has become some people's favourite pastime...

[Kakero]

had been driving his heavily-modified vehicle too fast

So are you saying that it's not his fault for causing the accident?

[Firestormalpha]

If it were stated that it was his speed that caused the structural failure leading to the accident, then perhaps yes. All the same, you think he doesn't feel like crap without someone throwing the book at him? It's not as though he set out to cause their deaths.

[Yorick]

Originally Posted by Kakero So are you saying that it's not his fault for causing the accident?

I'm saying why should the siblings be punished with losing their father, when they've just lost 4 siblings.

I'm saying that losing 4 of your kids is a hellish enough punishment of itself.

What does anyone gain by imprisoning the guy? Is he a danger to society? Will others be deterred? The deaths of the children is deterrent enough to not modify a vehicle.

A prison sentence isn't going to add anything other than more misery to an already destroyed family.

[Yorick]

Originally Posted by Firestormalpha It's not as though he set out to cause their deaths.

And he will forever be punishing himself for it. Leave the family in peace I say.

[Yorick]

Who were his lawyers? Who were the jurors who convicted? Who were the heartless prosecutors?
This thing stinks.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Hey, you know, I hear dumb ass stuff like this all the time. If the father was going too fast, he's an idiot. I see people driving reckless with children in the car all the time.
I hear about drowning accidents with both adults and children; no life jacket.
He killed his kids: whether due do to driving too fast, or driving a vehicle that was unsafe.

Everyone always thinks "won't happen to me". Yes, he'll have to live with that the rest of is life: at least HE'S got one..

..and geez, 7 kids, what is he, a house fly?

[Kakero]

Originally Posted by Yorick I'm saying why should the siblings be punished with losing their father, when they've just lost 4 siblings. I'm saying that losing 4 of your kids is a hellish enough punishment of itself. What does anyone gain by imprisoning the guy? Is he a danger to society? Will others be deterred? The deaths of the children is deterrent enough to not modify a vehicle. A prison sentence isn't going to add anything other than more misery to an already destroyed family.

I didn't know there should be an exception in the law.

So next time when I hit somebody with my car while driving recklessly, the law shouldn't punish me for reckless driving because i cried and wailed all day long till my eyes bleed. Eyup, the law should let go of me because of my grief.

[Yorick]

Did you read the case? The kids died because the axle corroded and the car fell into a river. He drove up onto the embankment to avoid another vehicle. If anything he was speeding (which he denies). Something I see every driver do on American freeways everyday.