According to the BBC, Lee Hughes' trial in Conventry Crown Court has begun, with the prosecution explaining the charge of causing death via dangerous driving and calling their first witnesses today. Hughes had pled guilty to leaving the scene of the accident and reporting the accident, but has pled not guilty to the above-mentioned 'causing death by dangerous driving' charge. I know that even if Hughesie does not serve any time in prison, he likely won't figure in to Albion's Premiership plans very much. But if he is convicted and receives a prison sentence, it's clear his footballing career will be over.
Hughesie claimed in his court testimony yesterday that he lost control of his car as he was trying to steer. He also claimed he was "definitely not" over the legal drink-drive alcohol limit after having two Jack-and-Cokes at local pubs on the night of the accident last November. He also claimed the shock of seeing someone who died is the reason he fled the scene and did not report the accident. To be honest, it's not looking very good...
Jury found him guilty and he has been sentenced to six years imprisonment. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/3548840.stm
I have a hard time feeling empathy for Hughes. Even if he was sober, he was clearly driving out of control. It's not premeditated murder but driving like a mad man is a bit like running around randomly shooting a gun. Sooner or later someone's going to get hurt. The fact that he was scene at pubs earlier that day, fled the scene and seems to have come out of such a brutal crash relatively unscathed make me suspect that he wasn't sober. At best he was driving recklessly, killed someone, severally injured 2 others and really f'd up their families lives. At worst he got drunk and did that. I'm glad the court ruled as it did since to me the end result is the main point. That is, what happened to these poor people is what the case should be about. Wther or not he was sober may make a legal difference in sentencing but he clearly was driving recklessly.
Bye bye Hughesie This verdict comes as absolutely no shock to me, given the circumstances, and given the strong case by the prosecution. A life was lost, so Hughes definitely got what he deserved. (Though if he had been convicted of a similar charge here in the States, he would have received a stiffer penalty) His career at Albion is over, and even when he gets out of prison, I would wager his footballing career is done as well. Hughesie's conviction is a sobering lesson in responsibility (no pun intended) everyone needs to learn, especially footballers.
The british legal system really needs some major updating, now don't get me wrong here, Lee Hughes has got everything he deserved, but what I dont understand is how he can kill 1 person and get 6 years, but in the recent case of a man in Brighton who was driving well over the limit, in someone else's car with no licence, insurance or MOT who killed two people and maimed a third gets only 5 1/2 years, it seems to me that these days the legal system is just a little inconsistent.