Conor Sherwood

Luke Brady was just 23 when he was knocked down 100 yards from his house in Studfall Avenue in the early hours of June 8, 2014.

Last month the driver of the car, Conor Sherwood, was given 20 months in prison – just half of which will be served behind bars.

Now Luke’s parents James and Rita have spoken to the Northants Telegraph of their anger over the decision, following our campaign for stronger sentences for people who kill or seriously injure on our roads.

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Flowers at scene of fatal accident in Studfall Avenue, Corby, Sunday, June 8, 2014 NNL-141106-132353001

Our Drive For Justice campaign, which saw us join up with newspapers from across the country, has achieved success on behalf of bereaved families who have lost loved ones in crashes.

Following our lobbying, motorists who kill may face life sentences as the Government has unveiled a consultation looking at plans to deter dangerous and criminal behaviour on the road with the toughest penalties.

Luke’s dad James, 58, said: “Ten months in prison is not justice. It’s not anywhere near justice.

“He took someone else’s life and it’s amazing that that is the sentence he gets.

Flowers at scene of fatal accident in Studfall Avenue, Corby, Sunday, June 8, 2014 NNL-141106-132353001

“He’ll do his time but he will still get to live his life. Luke won’t.”

Sherwood, 22, was originally charged with causing death by dangerous driving, but this was later dropped to death by careless driving.

To cause further heartache to Luke’s family, the case was not concluded until two-and-a-half years after the incident.

The maximum sentence Sherwood could have received was five years, and Mr Brady says he was expecting a sentence near to that.

He said: “We thought he would get somewhere between 40 and 60 months.

“To get the sentence he did is an insult.

“What we cannot get our head around is why we’ve had to wait two-and-a-half years.

“We hoped that the sentence would bring us some comfort but it hasn’t.

“The police and the prosecution have been brilliant but the judge and the criminal system have failed us.”

Luke had been out with friends before being dropped off by a taxi in a 20mph zone near his house.

When he crossed the road he was struck by Sherwood’s car, being left with head injuries and a collapsed lung before dying hours later.

Mum Rita, 57, said: “He will do his time in prison and have to take more tests before he can drive again but he will get behind the wheel and that scares us.

“Every day we have to see where he was killed.

“He [Sherwood] didn’t even show any remorse.

“The prison sentence is not enough and it is insulting.

“People steal money and get longer in prison than he did for killing our son.”

Luke left behind his parents and elder sister Katrina, 31.

Rita says they still hurt every day and added that all they are left with is memories.

She said: “Every day it does not make sense.

“One day we see him go out and he is happy and then we he doesn’t come back.

“We have to face that every day and that’s never going to go away.

“Even though he is in prison he still gets to see his family.