‘GIVE MY GIRL’S KILLERS LONGER JAIL TERMS’
THE mother of Sophie Taylor who was killed after a couple “literally drove” her to her death says she found the sentences handed to them an“insult” to her daughter’s memory.
Michael Wheeler, 23, pleaded guilty last December to causing the death of his ex-girlfriend Sophie, 22, and serious injury to Joshua Deguara by driving dangerously.
His former partner Melissa Pesticcio, 24, pleaded not guilty to the offences but was convicted by a jury following a two-week trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
Wheeler received a prison sentence of seven-and-a-half years while Pesticcio received a sentence of six-and-ahalf years on May 12.
During the trial, the court heard Sophie, from Llandaff, was duped by manipulating Wheeler who got her to buy a £5,800 motorbike and then dumped her before returning to Pesticcio.
When Sophie asked for the money back, the pair turned on her and used their cars to chase her for three miles through Cardiff before Wheeler rammed her BMW and caused her to crash in the Adamsdown area of the city, in August 2016.
Sophie’s mum Jackie, 52, said when she heard Wheeler and Pesticcio’s sentence, she felt it was an “insult” to Sophie’s memory
She added: “Pesticcio pleaded not guilty and we went through a horrendous trial. The whole jury found her guilty and the judge said in the open arena he wouldn’t penalise her. That was like tearing my heart out and stamping on it in court.
“When I heard the sentences from the judge, I thought, what does it take for them to get the maximum sentence?
“It floored me to be honest. For me it’s insulting to my daughter’s memory.
“Pesticcio will have her driving licence back and Wheeler will, who says they don’t go out and do it again.
“A driving licence is like a golden ticket and I wouldn’t feel safe knowing they’re back on the roads.
“If you cause a death you should have your licence taken off you completely and a tough sentence in the public interest and as a deterrent.”
An application has now be made to the Attorney General’s office to review the Pesticcio and Wheeler’s sentences. If successful, the appeal will go before the Court of Appeal of England and Wales.
Jackie said: “I know it can’t bring Sophie back but I just found with what happened to my daughter, what message do the public get from this case?
“So many people have contacted me to say the sentence was an insult, and is an insult.
“I am just praying they will look at it.”
The Sentencing Guidelines Council states that a maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving is 14 years in custody, with a starting point of eight years in custody.
A spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office said: “We have received a request for Michael Wheeler and Melissa Pesticcio’s sentences to be considered under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. The Law Officers have 28 days from sentencing to consider this case.
“The threshold to refer cases to the Court of Appeal is very high. A sentence can only be regarded as unduly lenient if there has been a gross error and it is significantly below the level that any judge could have reasonably imposed after considering the facts of the case.”