Family want change in the law around drug driving

14 hours ago

Steve Jones and Nicola Rees Yorkshire

Carol Coleman wants a change in the law following the death of her son Dean in 2022

BBC Carol Coleman, who has blonde hair and blue eyes. She is sat in a greem armchair wearing a blue dress with white pinstripes. A photo of Dean, who is smiling and wearing a black suit, is in the foreground. — Carol Coleman wants a change in the law following the death of her son Dean in 2022

The family of a father-of-three who died after being hit by a car have launched a campaign to change the law around drug-related driving offences.

Dean Miles, 49, was killed on the A6120 Ring Road in Horsforth, Leeds on 12 May 2022.The driver was over the legal limit for cannabis, but no charges were brought against him.

Police had tried to prosecute the 24-year-old for causing death by dangerous or careless driving but the Crown Prosecution Service did not authorise charges. In the meantime, the time limit to bring a lesser charge of drug driving elapsed.

"I got a life sentence, the guy has walked away," said Miles's mother, Carol Coleman.

Dean Miles, from Horsforth, is survived by his three children

Handout A smiling Dean Miles pictured with his three children - a young boy with brown hair and two girls, one with brown hair and the other with blonde hair. They are also smiling in the photo. — Dean Miles, from Horsforth, is survived by his three children

Coleman called West Yorkshire Police's investigation into her son's death "a mess", adding: "We weren't kept up to speed with anything."

She said it took two years for the family to be told the driver would not be charged.

"He [the driver] walked away without even points on his licence, nothing.

"I feel really let down. I'll never stop grieving."

Miles's family want to see a change in the law to allow police more time to investigate a potential drug driving offence to avoid a repeat of their ordeal.

Currently, a charge must be brought against a suspect within six months.

'Loophole'

According to government data published last year, there was an increase in drug-related collisions on Britain's roads over the 10 years between 2014 and 2023.

After contacting their local MP, Katie White, Miles's family met parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Department for Transport, Lillian Greenwood, to make their case as part of a consultation on the government's Road Safety Strategy.

White said there was a "loophole" in the current legislation which had denied the family justice.

"Carol isn't looking for us to reopen the case, but she wants us to learn the lessons over what's happened," she said.

"She [Greenwood] has had a lot of different people from around the country making representations. She's considering all of those options now.

"We made sure their story is right at the heart of that decision-making."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said they had explained the full circumstances of the investigation to Dean Miles's family.

They added: "It was detailed during the inquest into Mr Miles's death that a file was prepared for the more substantial charges of either causing death by dangerous or careless driving but that the Crown Prosecution Service did not authorise charges."

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