GRIEVING MUM CALLS FOR LAW CHANGE
MOTHER’S PLEA AS HER GIRL’S KILLERS SET TO BE RELEASED HALFWAY THROUGH SENTENCE
THE mother of a woman killed by a couple who “literally drove” her to her death is devastated that they are going to be released after only serving half of their sentences.
Michael Wheeler pleaded guilty in December 2016 to causing the death of his ex-girlfriend, Sophie Taylor, 22, and serious injury to Joshua Deguara by driving dangerously.
Wheeler’s 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 in 2017.
Wheeler received a prison sentence of seven and a half years, while Pesticcio received a sentence of six and a half years.
But both will be released this summer, less than four years after Sophie’s death in August 2016, and Sophie’s mum, family and friends are devastated.
During the trial, the court heard that 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.
The judge said at the time “it was like a cat chasing its prey” and said they were both “consumed with a selfrighteous and jealous rage”.
One of the leading detectives in the case said the pair “literally drove Sophie to her death”.
At the time of sentencing, Sophie’s mum, Jackie Taylor, said when she heard Wheeler and Pesticcio’s sentences, she felt it was an “insult” to Sophie’s memory.
Prisoners serving determinate sentences spend the first half of the sentence in prison and the second half in the community ‘on licence.’ If they break any of the licence conditions, for example by committing another crime, they could go back to prison.
A petition has now been launched calling for Wheeler and Pesticcio to serve their full sentences and has had nearly 5,000 signatures.
It says: “After being charged with death by dangerous driving when they chased the poor girl all around
Cardiff and decided to ram her off the road, causing Sophie to have a catastrophic brain injury and Joshua to be in critical condition in hospital which caused him to lose his leg.
“Sophie had her life taken from her and Josh has suffered horrendously throughout this whole ordeal. These should be made to serve their full sentences! How are they not doing them. It’s so wrong.
“Look at these faces that will be back on our streets with not a care in the world about what they have done. How are they allowed to be released again so soon?”
Joshua’s mum, Leanne Marshall, is also calling for Wheeler and Pesticcio to serve their whole sentences.
Jackie said: “The sentence was an insult, and is an insult. For them to get out halfway through is awful for us. It has taken me three years to get back to work and this is just a kick in the teeth.
“There will be an exclusion order in place, but I can’t bear the thought of turning a corner and seeing one of them. Those two have shown absolutely no remorse. They have never said sorry for what they did.
“I am going to keep on fighting the judicial system. It is as if my daughter’s life is worthless.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We understand the impending release of a prisoner can cause distress to victims, and our thoughts are with Miss Taylor’s family, as well as Mr Deguara and his family.
“Anyone released from prison faces strict conditions while on licence, such as curfews and exclusion zones, and can be returned to custody if they are breached.”