A goalkeeper who killed two young brothers in a drunken car crash has been offered a return to professional football. Luke McCormick, 28, is expected to play for Swindon Town FC when he is released from prison next month. Arron Peak, ten, and his eight-year-old brother Ben died when McCormick smashed his Range Rover into their fatherâs car at 97mph on the M6 in Staffordshire. McCormick, who had played for Plymouth Argyle, was sentenced to seven years and four months in 2008 for causing death by dangerous driving and being twice the drink-drive limit. Under the early release rules, he is due to be freed after serving less than four years. McCormick has been training with Swindon since January while on day release and is set to join the club on a trial basis this summer. The boys' angry father Phil, of Partington, Greater Manchester, who was also seriously injured in the crash, said: âWe've lost two sons as a result of Luke McCormick drinking and driving - yet not even four years on heâs being released from jail and will be back playing the game he loves. âOur lads will never play football again. It is so wrong on so many levels. âWhen heâs released heâll be going on a pre-season tour to Italy - very nice, not a thought for the victims. âWe are disgusted to find out only now that while heâs been in prison heâs been training with the team. We are the injured party here - we've lost our sons and I have terrible injuries that I live every day with - yet heâs living it up like nothing has happened. Just how can this be right? âIf McCormick had just killed one of our sons he may not even have been given a custodial sentence - itâs not real justice at all. âNow heâs coming out into a cushy job that he loves. It absolutely stinks. âYou would have thought managers of high-profile football clubs would have steered clear of him. As far as I am aware he clearly has an alcohol problem.â His sickened wife Amanda added: 'That is the justice system - the families and the victims are just being forgotten. There is no justice here at all.â We are the injured party here - we've lost our sons and I have terrible injuries that I live every day with - yet heâs living it up like nothing has happened. Just how can this be right? âIf McCormick had just killed one of our sons he may not even have been given a custodial sentence - itâs not real justice at all. âNow heâs coming out into a cushy job that he loves. It absolutely stinks. âYou would have thought managers of high-profile football clubs would have steered clear of him. As far as I am aware he clearly has an alcohol problem.â His sickened wife Amanda added: 'That is the justice system - the families and the victims are just being forgotten. There is no justice here at all.â Read more here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...Town-FC-release-prison.html?ito=feeds-newsxml My question is what are your feeling's on this?, should he be given another chance or not?, would you want a player with a past like him playing for the Saints?
All he is trying to do is trying to rebuild his career and try and get back to normal. He has to live with the fact that he is a killer every day of his life. I'm sure he is not proud of it in any way, nor do I think a day goes by without him thinking about. Good luck to him. However, as a parent it would be extremely tough to see him free and earning thousands per week... I hope ye does his bit in the community to help tackle drink driving and help support the family in some way.
So you think it's ok that he was released early and trained with a football club whilst he was locked up?????????????????????
Of course it will be tough for his family and I'm sure it will haunt him. It doesn't mean he has to spend the rest of his life miserable though.
I read about this. 2 words: ****ing joke. He should never play football again. He should be forced to get a normal job with average wages.
Its a tough one. What is true Justice for the parents? The death penalty. There are unfortunately plenty of examples of footballers who play after a prison sentence and for premeditated crimes. Football has a huge role in society and should set an example and while the article focuses on the parents the flip side is what message would it send out if a football club turned its back on a released prisoner who had served his punishment. The length of his sentence is a matter for the courts to defend. I personally hope that the guilt lives with him everyday and the living it up quotes from the parents are far from the truth. Football is a privilege and I think the only way Swindon & McCormick can make any real sort of good from this would be to donate a large part of his salary every week to a charity of the parents choice. This will go a long way to try and at least earn forgiveness
Jdub, I wasn't aware that he was released early or training with the club. I think he needs to make some sort of contribution to help the family. And do something in the community.
He did his time... and he has prob gone thru hell.. which was only fair.. But now the sentance is over.. He is Moving on and Getting on with his life... So should other people.
Agreed.. Law in this country is rubbish, But the victim isn't at fault with the technicality's of this.
How can you say it will be tough for his family! What about the family of the boys he Killed while pissed behind the wheel..... IMHO he should never be aloud to play football again!
its a really difficult one. Technically once he has served his sentence, no matter how soft we think it was he is free to resume his life. His job is a footballer, and there is no legal way he can be banned from playing. The only way he can be "stopped" from playing is if no football club EVER gave him a contract. Some will think shame on Swindon. However, i can well understand the views of the parents who must feel that justice has not been done. If I was the father of kids killed by a drunk driver, I think i would be looking for "an eye for an eye". The real issue is that the law does not allow a life tariff for causing death whilst drunk or on drugs. As a society we need to "man up" and introduce life sentences which mean just that - prison till you die.
This case like other such cases, which i mean there has been other drunk drivers who have killed people. Is a very tough one to understand. I know people who knew him and i also know two prison wardens where he was sent, and by all accounts he is a very nice man and mortified by what he has done and it will live with him for ever. You also only have to remember the parents after the crash and the picture of the two children in their football shirts to try and understand the pain they are feeling and as a parent myself, it must be unbearable. My opinion is that whether a footballer or not, that the sentencing was far too short. Drink driving is against the law and anyone who is involved in a fatal road accident whilst under the influence regardless of whether they are a very nice person or not, has to have a longer sentence and more importantly SERVE THE TOTAL LENGTH OF IT. But in truth what ever the court decides on the length of sentencing, It Wont bring back those Children but maybe, possibly help the grieving parents.
Only served half his sentance total joke, just sums up what a shambles the justice system in this country. He knew what he was doing when he got behind the wheel , should have got a far longer jail term and be made to serve it all.
Just because he's a footballer shouldn't mean he's treated any differently to any other criminal. He has served his sentence. There are plenty of people out there who have committed the same or even worse crimes. He has served the sentence the court imposed, we can argue about whether it was appropriate length, but he should now be free to get on with his life. He will always have to live with what he had=s done.
We should not mix up the two different issues here. He served his time, inadequate though the sentence may seem to many. There is an argument that we should lock him up forever, but then our prisons would be full of old men who committed a crime in their twentys and who would never have committed another crime in their lifetimes on the outside. What purpose would that serve? Once released, he either finds a job or he continues to be a burden on society. If football is what he is good at, then it's a short enough career anyway, and how could you restrict his trade? The expression 'paying your debt to society' means that once that debt is paid then everyone has to move on. The parents will be unable to do this obviously but we cannot have law made by the victims, but by all of us through the political process. I do echo the sentiments that if he has any sense, he should genuinely commit himself to charitable causes as part of his rehabilitation.
Didnt Lee Hughes also go to prison for something similar? He appears to be doing ok in his career since. Terrible as the situation is with innocents dying, the guy has been to prision and served his time. If the legal system is wrong then that's another discussion, but when he's freed, he should be free to do what he chooses.
