Content warning: This page contains distressing information
My son Daniel Davies was killed on his moped just four days after I had bought it for him. He was just 16 years old.
The crash happened on 17th April 2022 on the A4174 in Warmley on a throughabout system.
The driver, Harry Charlton, was found guilty of going through red lights, under the influence of cannabis and with cocaine in his system. More than likely speeding but difficult to prove. At the scene the driver carried on driving down the dual carriageway. He eventually stopped and came back to the scene. He was arrested and charged that night. The next day he was released and allowed to carry on driving a vehicle until his plea.
It took until 6/9/24 for him to plea guilty. On 21st October he was charged death by careless driving under the influence of drugs. He was given a sentence of six years and eight months which was reduced to 5 years for his eventual plea. He will probably only do 2 1/2 years. When he gets out he will have a two year driving ban.
How can you take someone’s life and only serve 2 1/2 years in prison. Why should he get his driving license back. A driving license should be a privilege. You take tests, theory and driving, to obtain a driving license. Surely if you kill somebody whilst driving that privilege should be taken away forever.
Harry’s defence team also made us wait much longer than necessary needing certain things checked and double checked. And during this time he was able to lead a normal life driving a car.
Daniel was only 16 and four months before he died I had also lost my husband to Suicide. Daniel was coping with his dad’s death so well, so positive. He had an apprenticeship lined up to do brick laying. He had already told me this was a stop gap to make some money to put on stocks and shares to make even more money. He was very clever and very ambitious. Daniel had a lovely group of friends who are missing him so much. Losing Daniel has really affected them. I now live on my own. My daughter left home several years ago. Living alone after being part of a family for so many years is so difficult and so lonely.