BRADFORD MPs today demanded longer jail sentences for drivers who kill.

Judith Cummins, Naz Shah and Imran Hussain gave their backing, alongside campaigners, to proposals laid out in a Government consultation.

The Ministry of Justice's ‘Driving Consultation’ - which ends today at 11.59pm - asked for the views of “all with an interest in road traffic legislation relating to offences of causing death or serious injury”.

The Telegraph & Argus submitted a response to the consultation on the back of our Stop the Danger Drivers campaign. Local campaigners Amjad Malik and Sarah Harrison have also given their views.

A response to the exercise is due to be published by the MoJ in May.

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Bradford South Labour MP Mrs Cummins said: “The T&A has run an excellent and valuable campaign on dangerous drivers. I welcome the detailed and well-argued submission that our newspaper has made to the Government’s consultation on sentencing.

“I have made my own submission that echoes and endorses the T&A campaign and calls for tougher and increased sentences for those who kill or seriously injury others on our roads.”

She added: “We need tougher action to tackle those criminal drivers who endanger life, cause serious injury and destroy lives. I hope the Government will heed the pleas of those engaging with this consultation and ensure the law reflects the seriousness of these crimes.

“They are a blight on our communities and so often have a tragic and devastating impact on local people. The sentences must better reflect this.”

CLICK HERE TO GIVE YOUR OWN RESONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION BEFORE TODAY'S DEADLINE

Mr Hussain, Labour MP for Bradford East, said: “I fully welcome the Government’s decision to consult on reviewing the sentencing for death by dangerous driving, and I am pleased that they have finally recognised the strength of public feeling towards the current inadequate arrangements.

“The criminal justice system is built on the principle of proportionality, but for far too long the the serious nature of death by dangerous driving and the heartbreak created for families has been disproportionate to the underwhelming sentencing options available.

“I strongly support increasing the length of sentencing options available and I will be writing to Justice Ministers to this effect.

“However it is important not to lose sight of the fact that as well as ensuring that the punishment is fitting for the seriousness of the offence, we need to address further concerns raised by road safety charities such as Brake, that the police have the resources necessary to prosecute driving offences and catch offenders, and this is a further issue that I will be raising following the consultation with the Transport and Home Secretaries.”

Bradford West Labour MP Ms Shah said: “‘I have welcomed this consultation from the Government, and know that victims have felt let down by sentences that have been handed down to those who cause irreversible damage to people’s lives through dangerous driving.

“I would welcome the introduction of a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving because in recent years there have been several cases where families have felt severely let down with the sentences passed following permanent and serious injury.

“It has been argued time and time again some sentences do not reflect the seriousness of the injuries caused and this has proven to be correct on many occasions.

“Sentencing has been both a national and local issue for some time, and that in some cases where there have been convictions for causing death by dangerous driving locally, they have resulted in what could be considered very lenient sentences. Especially when the offenders have knowingly taken callous risks with other people’s lives and it is right that this consultation looks to extend maximum sentences.”

Bradford-based road safety campaigner Amjad Malik, whose 15-year-old son Saliq died in a car crash in Barkerend in 2015, said he would be submitting his response to the consultation before today’s deadline.

He said: “The punishments should be harder for them, no matter what the consequences are. They are getting away with light prison sentences and it is not setting an example to others.

“Others go out and do the same thing. I keep seeing stories of people doing the same thing.

“We are not deterring them with these lighter sentences. Tougher sentences might make them think twice.”

Sarah Harrison, whose mum Mary Byrne was killed by a speeding driver in April 2013, backed changes to the law and pointed to the 28-month jail sentence given to a serial driving offender as evidence that a change was needed.

Bradford Crown Court heard this week that Baber Iqbal led police on a 100mph chase down a busy 30mph road in Bradford.

While on bail just three weeks later, Iqbal, 21, attempted to flee police a second time, driving down a narrow street on two wheels before crashing into a parked car.

Ibqal, of Princeville Road, Bradford, was already on licence for dangerous driving at the time of his latest offences in June and July last year.

Mrs Harrison said: “Twenty eight months for driving round streets at 100mph and already on bail for dangerous driving?

“It is crazy. All that effort that the police go into to catch them, and him doing speeds like that and mounting the pavement, and overturning the car at the end - he could have easily killed somebody - and then he gets a sentence like that.

“It is outrageous. Something has to change. It is really laughable.

“That is what they will be thinking, that they can do it because they will just get a slap on the wrists and be out in a year or two.”

In another high profile case, featured in yesterday’s T&A, drunk driver Joshua Jeffrey was jailed for eight years for killing a father-of-three in a head-on crash in Keighley.

Bradford Crown Court heard that after victim Liaqat Mahmood’s employer, 1st Choice Private Hire, announced details of his funeral, Jeffrey, 21, wrote on Facebook: “PMSL. I did this. I was the driver.”

She added: “Current sentences are not sending out the right message. I hope this consultation brings change.

“I hope people will get a sentence that suits the crime they have done.

“The lads that killed my mum will be out soon. It feels like they have served nothing at all.”

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said officers in the roads policing unit were made aware of the consultation and invited to submit their views to it.

A representative of Brake said the road safety charity’s response to the consultation would be submitted later today.

CLICK HERE TO GIVE YOUR OWN RESONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION BEFORE TODAY'S DEADLINE

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