starduk
10-08-2004, 06:09 PM
http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pageID=news_home&articleID=1731692
Parents of B.C. Mountie killed by speeder hope jail sentence sends message
VANCOUVER (CP) - The parents of an RCMP officer killed by a speeding car said Friday the two-year sentence handed out to the driver responsible doesn't compare to the life sentence they face without their only child.
But they're satisfied with the judge's decision. "It's better than we expected." said Chris Ng, the father of Const. Jimmy Ng, 31, who died when his cruiser was broadsided in September 2002.
Justice Harvey Groberman sentenced Yau Chun Stuart Chan, 21, to 18 months in jail for criminal negligence causing death and an additional six months for leaving the scene of an accident. Chan will also serve two years' probation and is banned from driving for three years.
The B.C. Supreme Court judge said he's satisfied that Chan has been seriously affected by the crash.
"The burden of having killed Const. Ng will be with Mr. Chan for the rest of his life."
After the judge's decision Jimmy's mother Therese Ng, her eyes red from crying, said the sentencing is just another stage in their grieving process.
"It doesn't matter what kind of sentencing," she said. "It's not going to bring Jimmy back. Our life is ruined completely. We are sitting on a life sentence."
She wants the jail sentence to send a message to those who like to drive fast.
"All you need is those few seconds in their mind . . .they may change and some life will be saved."
Experts estimated that Chan's Honda was travelling at 134 kilometres an hour when it rammed into the cruiser in neighbouring Richmond, B.C.
Richmond RCMP spokesman Cpl. Peter Thiessen said the department accepts the court's decision.
"But let's make no mistake about it, there's no winners," he said. "This is about everyone losing. We lost Jimmy, the victim's family suffers, the RCMP suffers, the suspect suffers."
Thiessen is hopeful something may come from the tragedy and the jail sentence that resulted from it.
"We'll see whether it's a deterrent. It's too soon to say. Let's hope it is."
At the end of the sentencing Groberman told Chan through an interpreter that he wished him luck.
"You have clearly learned a great deal from this tragic event. I'm hopeful you'll be able to overcome these difficulties," he said.
Chris Ng asked for public support in getting the law changed to increase the minimum jail time for those convicted of driving offences.
"This is important. It's a matter of life and death involving criminal driving behaviour."
There are allegations that the accident occurred during a street race, but Groberman said there was no evidence of street racing.
A second man, David Guan, pleaded guilty to helping a hit-and-run driver leave the scene of an accident and was given three years' probation.
Guan admitted to being a block and a half from the scene at the time of the early-morning crash. Chan wrote a note of apology to the family, which Chris Ng said he hadn't read yet. But he said Guan has never apologized.
© The Canadian Press, 2004
Parents of B.C. Mountie killed by speeder hope jail sentence sends message
VANCOUVER (CP) - The parents of an RCMP officer killed by a speeding car said Friday the two-year sentence handed out to the driver responsible doesn't compare to the life sentence they face without their only child.
But they're satisfied with the judge's decision. "It's better than we expected." said Chris Ng, the father of Const. Jimmy Ng, 31, who died when his cruiser was broadsided in September 2002.
Justice Harvey Groberman sentenced Yau Chun Stuart Chan, 21, to 18 months in jail for criminal negligence causing death and an additional six months for leaving the scene of an accident. Chan will also serve two years' probation and is banned from driving for three years.
The B.C. Supreme Court judge said he's satisfied that Chan has been seriously affected by the crash.
"The burden of having killed Const. Ng will be with Mr. Chan for the rest of his life."
After the judge's decision Jimmy's mother Therese Ng, her eyes red from crying, said the sentencing is just another stage in their grieving process.
"It doesn't matter what kind of sentencing," she said. "It's not going to bring Jimmy back. Our life is ruined completely. We are sitting on a life sentence."
She wants the jail sentence to send a message to those who like to drive fast.
"All you need is those few seconds in their mind . . .they may change and some life will be saved."
Experts estimated that Chan's Honda was travelling at 134 kilometres an hour when it rammed into the cruiser in neighbouring Richmond, B.C.
Richmond RCMP spokesman Cpl. Peter Thiessen said the department accepts the court's decision.
"But let's make no mistake about it, there's no winners," he said. "This is about everyone losing. We lost Jimmy, the victim's family suffers, the RCMP suffers, the suspect suffers."
Thiessen is hopeful something may come from the tragedy and the jail sentence that resulted from it.
"We'll see whether it's a deterrent. It's too soon to say. Let's hope it is."
At the end of the sentencing Groberman told Chan through an interpreter that he wished him luck.
"You have clearly learned a great deal from this tragic event. I'm hopeful you'll be able to overcome these difficulties," he said.
Chris Ng asked for public support in getting the law changed to increase the minimum jail time for those convicted of driving offences.
"This is important. It's a matter of life and death involving criminal driving behaviour."
There are allegations that the accident occurred during a street race, but Groberman said there was no evidence of street racing.
A second man, David Guan, pleaded guilty to helping a hit-and-run driver leave the scene of an accident and was given three years' probation.
Guan admitted to being a block and a half from the scene at the time of the early-morning crash. Chan wrote a note of apology to the family, which Chris Ng said he hadn't read yet. But he said Guan has never apologized.
© The Canadian Press, 2004