Violet Grace Youens: Dad welcomes MPs' vote on death crash drivers

Violet Grace Youens was killed by a speeding driver

The father of a four-year-old girl who was killed by a hit-and-run driver has welcomed MPs backing tougher sentences.

But Glenn Youens, whose daughter Violet-Grace was killed in St Helens in 2017, said: "I can't believe it has taken this long."

Aidan McAteer was jailed for nine years and four months for her death in May 2017, but he may be released next year.

Theresa May's bill introducing maximum life terms has now passed its first hurdle in the House of Commons.

The former prime minister's 10-Minute Rule Bill was back unanimously after receiving cross-party support.

Among its supporters were Mr Youens' MP Marie Rimmer, the Labour member for St Helens South.

Glenn Youens says people cannot understand the sentences handed to his daughter's killer

The bill will receive its second reading on 16 October.

"I am very grateful that she has brought this forward," said Ms Rimmer of Mrs May's bill.

Mr Youens said McAteer's sentence for killing his daughter was not long enough.

"Everybody I have met says 'I can't believe how little time he got' - the justice system is not fit for purpose," he said.

Theresa May hoped to change the law as Prime Minister

The family joined with others around the country and had hoped Mrs May was going to change the law in the last parliament.

Mr Youens said: "We understand these things take time but this could have been done sooner - we've seen in the pandemic how they have introduced laws at short notice."

• Death crash parents' victim statement 'was edited'

• Killer driver's sentence hike 'a joke'

• 'Violet' service for death crash girl

Introducing the bill, Mrs May said she had hoped to change the law when she was PM but had run out of time.

This simple new bill, which would amend the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 to increase to life imprisonment the maximum term for causing death by dangerous driving, "does the Government's job for it," she told the House of Commons.

St Helens South MP Marie Rimmer said she was very grateful the bill was being introduced