A GRIEVING Evesham family will receive a Government response after a petition set up in memory of a man killed in a hit-and-run in London gained more than 10,000 signatures, the Observer can reveal.
Andrew Lindup, 36, was killed on December 15, 2016 by ‘cowardly’ Daroush Fayaz who served just 61 days of an original six month sentence after pleading guilty to failing to stop.
A lack of witnesses to the incident meant no evidence was available to prosecute the 25-year-old for death by dangerous driving.
An off-duty police officer had noted Fayaz’s driving in the vicinity of the incident but because he had no equipment to record his speed no evidence was submitted.
Fayaz was also banned from driving for 14 months, fined £200 and ordered to sit an enhanced driving test, a punishment which did not fit the crime which devastated Mr Lindup’s family.
At the time, Andrew’s father David claimed the current legislation was an ‘incentive’ to drivers to leave the scene and branded Fayaz a ‘coward’ for his actions.
Fayaz parked his van in a side road and fled, only giving himself up to police some 15 days later.
Currently, the punishment for causing death by dangerous driving is up to 14 years in jail while leaving the scene of an accident is as low as six months behind bars.
Following the trial, his heartbroken family called for a change in the law and, led by his sister Amy, set up a petition on the www.petition.parliament.uk website in a bid to put pressure on the Government to change the law.
The petition reached the 10,000 total with a day to spare, meaning the Government must now formally respond to the family
Speaking to the Observer, Andrew’s sister Amy said she was ‘ecstatic’ when the petition crossed the finish line.
“It was only a couple of days before the finish date and we needed about another 3,000 signatures which I didn’t think we would be able to achieve,” she said.
“With the powers of Facebook and some very supportive friends we managed to push it over the line.
“It means so much to our family at least our story will be heard, we can’t change the sentence of our case but for future families going through similar circumstances it may mean they get more justice.
“Now we just have to wait for the response.
“Andrew meant everything to me, he was my brother, my only sibling. I’m totally lost without him,” she added.
The family will receive a response from the Government to their petition in the coming weeks.
