An Angus woman petitioning a drink-driver’s appeal against his nine-year sentence for killing her parents has said she hopes her fight will highlight the need for change in the justice system.
Alistair Ferrier (30), who had already been banned from driving four times, was nearly three times over the legal alcohol limit when he ploughed into John and Isobel Gibson’s car on December 14, 2008.
He got behind the wheel despite having been refused alcohol in a pub earlier for being too drunk.
Mr Gibson (69) and his wife (68), of Teviot Place, Montrose, died at the scene of the crash on the A92 near Montrose on their way home from country dancing in Arbroath.
Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Ferrier married pregnant fiancee Joanne Dye from Arbroath in a ceremony at Perth Prison last week less than six months after he was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh for nine years.
The convict is now appealing his sentence with a date for the hearing to be set in due course, a move that Mr and Mrs Gibson’s daughter Shiona Cruickshanks said “beggars belief.”
Mrs Cruickshanks, from Montrose, has started a petition to protest against Ferrier’s appeal.
She said, “I have had a great response from the public since the news broke of Ferrier’s appeal.
“I am very grateful to everyone who has taken the time to contact me.”‘No rights for the victims’She added, “The reaction from the public has all been very positive with a lot of comments hoping the appeal goes against him and he gets a longer sentence but I know that is never going to happen.
“What I want from this appeal is for the courts and judges to see just how unhappy the general public are about the inadequate sentences they are handing out to these criminals.”
Mrs Cruickshanks said, “Although the family accepted the sentence handed out by Lord Bowen was about all we could expect, it didn’t stop us feeling it wasn’t justice for mum and dad.
“For these criminals then to be allowed to go on and make appeals against their sentence just beggars belief.
“The con has so many rights, as I keep getting told, yet there are no rights for the victims as we have found out.”
Mrs Cruickshanks also hit out at the Crown Office for the time it took to inform her that Ferrier was appealing.
“The establishment tell you nothing,” she said.
“The appeal has to be lodged within seven days of sentence but it has taken them 19 weeks to inform us that an appeal had been lodged.
“That has got to be wrong and hopefully this petition will highlight the public’s need for change in our justice system.”‘Scumbags’She added, “I have quite a few people getting in touch saying they should bring back corporal punishment for scumbags like Ferrier that have complete disregard for the laws of this country.
“There has also been a few outraged about the cost of taxpayers’ money that are funding his legal fees.”
Assessors estimated Ferrier was driving at 70-80mph when he hit his victims’ people carrier.
He had to be cut from his car with multiple fractures to his legs, pelvis and arms, but discharged himself from hospital after just six weeks.
He was also handed a 15-year driving ban.
Tests showed Ferrier had a blood alcohol reading of 222mg (the limit is 80mg).
Temporary Judge Edward Bowen QC told the High Court in Edinburgh that the accident had been a “very bad case of causing death by dangerous driving.”