Samuel Etherington, 20, has been jailed for 9 years, banned from driving for 7 years, and ordered to take an extended test when he is allowed to drive again. Although the report doesn’t make it clear, it seems that the driving ban will run concurrently with the prison sentence, meaning that when Etherington is released – probably in around 5 years time – he will only have to wait 2 years before getting his Provisional Licence back. If he doesn’t get parole immediately he may come straight out and be able to drive.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: UK Law is a complete ass sometimes.
Etherington was driving a modified Honda Civic (which are fast to begin with), with lowered suspension and loud exhaust. He had been taking ketamine (often referred to as “horse tranquiliser”) and mephedrone (an amphetamine), both of which are illegal. According to the Mirror article he revved his engine as he drove past Olivia Lewry and Jasmine Allsop. The two girls “shouted abuse” at him, and he turned around and drove at them at high speed. He hit them on the wrong side of the road, and both were killed.
What makes the story even more frightening is that the two girls knew Etherington and had actually arranged for him to pick them up from the party they had attended. Etherington’s car had a black box fitted and it showed that he accelerated to 71mph in a 30mph zone, striking the girls at approximately 65mph.
The BBC’s version of the story adds a few more astonishing details. It seems he lied about his speed, claiming he was driving at about 30mph. The black box in his car, which provided the real speed he was travelling at, was fitted because he had previously been banned from driving (after forcing a police officer to jump out of the way to avoid being hit, and failing to stop), and he couldn’t afford the insurance otherwise. The mug shot of Etherington shows him to be the archetypal pimply little scumbag you’d expect. Heaven only knows how he managed to get away with only 9 years instead of the maximum 14 given his record and the nature of this case.
But more chilling is the overlooked underworld today’s young people inhabit. All sentimental issues aside, the two girls knew Etherington and quite possibly had rode in his car before with him behaving the way people who drive modified pratmobiles usually behave. He was a drug user, a liar, and had a criminal record.
But the really, really scary part is that he isn’t unusual, and nor were the girls.