VIDEO: "It is a complete insult to our son and to anybody’s child"

Friday 28 July 2017

The father of three-year-old Clinton Pringle has expressed his "disgust" after the driver who caused his son's death received an eight-month suspended prison sentence, calling it a "complete insult."

Rebekah Le Gal was handed an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years in the Royal Court on Thursday. She was also disqualified from driving for 30 months.

Following the sentencing, Michael Pringle said he was absolutely "disgusted with the outcome" but that he "expected it." He compared Rebekah Le Gal's suspended sentence to the custodial one received by Fautua Otto in September 2016. The Jersey Reds rugby player was jailed for five months after admitting four driving offences, two charges of driving while disqualified and two of driving with no insurance. 

Mr Pringle said: "Somebody who kills a child, regardless if it was intended or not, walks free from court with a suspended sentence. This is just an absolute joke, it is a farce, a complete white wash."

Clinton's father called the Court's decision "ludicrous" saying that there was "no deterrent" not to use their phones while driving. 

He also said he fears "for anybody who comes to the island to visit" as he feels the way the case was handled did not put enough importance on his son's life. "It’s almost as if they said 'It doesn’t matter you are not from the island, go crawl back under the rock and don’t bother us again. You are not worth it. Your son’s life was worth nothing.'

"There was a reference to Rebekah Le Gal thinking she had driven over debris, a cardboard box or a cat or a dog. She might as well have because I don’t think it would have made a difference, would it? The importance that was place on my son’s life was no more than a dog or a cat or a bit of debris or a cardboard box.  That is the bottom line and that is what the Court condoned today. They just added to my misery."

The father of three-year-old Clinton also mentioned the Care Inquiry Report and the 'Jersey Way' which he says is, "...at its worst described as the powerful protecting the guilty and not holding them accountable." He asked for Jersey, "...to drag itself into the 21^st century", calling the court system "an absolute joke."

While he praised the police for doing "what they could" and presenting "compelling evidence", Mr Pringle said he felt his family hadn't even gotten a "semblance of justice."

"It was a complete waste of time. The only thing that came out of this and that was decent is that the facts came about because at one point the Prosecution didn’t even want to take the evidence to trial."

He also said that people back home in Scotland are "absolutely disgusted and embarrassed" and that the family keeps receiving messages from islanders who say they are "embarrassed with the justice system." "I don’t blame them. This place portrays itself as a progressive island but nothing could be further from the truth."

Although the road layout on Tunnell Street was criticised during the trial, Mr Pringle said it wouldn't have made a difference to the driver, only to his wife Stacey and Clinton as they approached the shared-space area. He explained he was not a "fan" of that sort of layout and called for the area to be closed off to traffic. He however said it wasn't a mitigating factor even though the Defence, led by Advocate Matthew Jowitt claimed so.

Mr Pringle also said that he does not feel "any sympathy" towards Mrs Le Gal or the remorse she is feeling. He said: "We are the unfortunate ones here, even if she keeps portraying herself as a victim. Maybe I should feel sympathy, maybe that is not Christian-like of me, but I don't."

While he flew back Thursday afternoon, shortly after the sentence was announced, and does not plan on coming back to the Island anytime soon, Mr Pringle said he will continue to fight on.

He said: "I am going continue to try and make some noise in the direction that was originally given by the commissioner to the Jurats in the trial because I think it was a miscarriage of justice. And this today just completes that. Maybe if there had been a custodial sentence it could have appeased us in some way and we could have walked away saying at least there has been some sort of justice, but they dressed it up."

Clinton's family have contacted a member of the Scottish Parliament, MSP Elaine Smith, and Glasgow lawyer Paul Kavanagh to help them voice their concerns. MSP Smith wrote to the Bailiff, Sir William Bailhache, who is head of the judiciary, and President of the Court of Appeal, while Mr Kavanagh contacted the Law Officers' Department. He asked them, "...to re-examine the direction given by Julian Clyde-Smith, and to consider this point of law in the interests of justice." 

Commenting on the case a police spokesperson said: "The sentencing today of Rebekah Le Gal concludes both a tragic case and complex and challenging investigation. Our thoughts remain very much with Clinton’s family, who we have continued to support throughout this case. Tragically, cases of this nature demonstrate the ultimate consequence of drivers not paying attention. We remain committed to ensuring, with partners, that our roads are as safe as they can be and we will continue to target those drivers who use their mobile phones whilst driving – drivers though must take personal responsibility. The forthcoming Arrive Alive campaign will add additional focus and will help to remind everyone that using a mobile phone whilst driving is dangerous and can prove fatal."