'Selfish drivers deserve harsher sentences'

Mum Catherine was left paralysed from the neck down following the crash last year

A charity boss said the sentences handed to two "selfish" motorists who caused "unimaginable horror" after using their mobiles behind the wheel were too lenient.

Howard Jones, chief executive of RoadPeace, a national charity for road crash victims, called for "harsher penalties" for dangerous drivers who crash while on their phones.

It followed a year in which two motorists were jailed for dangerous driving offences which either proved fatal or resulted in serious consequences for the victim.

The actions of George Taylor, from Pymoor near Ely, left a mum paralysed, while Amber Potter, from Norwich, killed a scooter rider after ploughing into him.

George Taylor filmed himself on his phone while driving on the A47

Taylor had sent texts, made calls and filmed videos during his journey to college when he crashed his black Volkswagen Golf into a car on the A47 near Norwich.

The victim, a mother aged in her 40s, was left paralysed from the neckt down and unable to speak or breathe independently following the crash in 2023.

Potter, meanwhile, was zooming in on a tongue-out selfie she had taken behind the wheel of Vauxhall Corsa when she hit David Sinar, 64, on the A11 in Norfolk in 2021.

Amber Potter was checking this image on her phone when she killed David Sinar

Taylor, 19 at the time of his sentencing, was jailed for 26 months in a young offender institution, having previously admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Potter, who was 23 when she appeared in court, was jailed for three years and six months after admitting death by dangerous driving.

Howard Jones is the chief executive of RoadPeace, a national charity for road crash victims

Mr Jones said: "Research shows that a driver using a handheld or hands-free phone is four times more likely to be involved in a collision than an un-distracted driver.

"The lenient sentences handed down to those who choose to ignore these dangers fail to reflect the true severity of their crimes.

"Courts have the power to impose lifetime driving bans, yet such sentences are virtually unheard of.

"Why should someone who has caused death or life-altering injuries through their reckless actions ever be allowed to drive again?"

David Sinar's family previously described his loss as "unbearable"

In the UK in 2023, the use of a mobile phone while driving contributed to 25 of 1,441 reported fatal collisions.

Norfolk Police's Sgt Callum Walchester said: "People often think it will never happen to them, but we see all too often how quickly life can change because of this type of offending."

Mr Jones said RoadPeace wanted "urgent reform" in the sentencing of dangerous driving cases.

"We urge the justice system to fully utilise its powers to protect innocent lives and send a clear message," he added.

The Courts and Tribunal Judiciary was contacted for comment.