Family 'upset' over jail term

Laura Robinson and Leigh Creany were killed

The family of one of two girls killed by a drunk driver have said the judge missed an opportunity to send out a tough message to others who drink and drive.

Mary Celine Mullin, 55, from Beragh in County Tyrone was three and a half times over the legal limit when she crashed her Land Rover into a car on the M1 between Lurgan, County Armagh, and Moira in County Down.

Laura Robinson, 21, and her 19-year-old work colleague Leigh Creany died in the accident on 5 June last year.

Mullin was sentenced to four years at Craigavon Crown Court on Monday.

Laura's parents, Noel and Wendy, do not believe the sentence was long enough.

Mr Robinson said: "The sentence was very lenient because we thought he was going to give her six to ten years because of the category of the offence.

"But just to turn around and give her four years, and at the end of the day we know she's only going to do two of them.

"So it's only really one year per life which was really, really disappointing and we're really upset about it."

'Set an example'

Laura's parents feel the judge missed an opportunity to send out a clear message to drink drivers, particularly in the light of new guidelines on such cases issued recently by the Lord Chief Justice.

Mr Robinson added: "The other cases, most of them, had been death by dangerous driving.

"But the fact that this case was drink and so much - three times over the legal limit.

"This case is so much publicised and there's so much talk about it and the circumstances of it, that really he would have needed to set an example, which he didn't do."

The family have made a decision to try to put what happened behind them, but know that will not be easy.

"You're thinking she should have got more but at the same time, we have to move on.

"This is a chapter of the book that we're going to have to close and get on ahead with our lives and that's it - there's not a big lot we can do about it."

On Monday, at Craigavon Crown Court, Judge Desmond Curran recommended that Mullin be allowed to serve her sentence in the hospital wing of Maghaberry prison near Lisburn.