Long Sutton mother calls for changes to the ‘systemic indifference to road crime’ as Lincolnshire probation service is rated as inadequate
A grieving mother says a damning inspection report into the county’s probation service reflects the ‘unacceptable failures’ which led to her daughter’s death.
Amanda Cooper, of Long Sutton, has previously branded the probation service as ‘unfit for purpose’ after officers took no action to stop disqualified Shane Kelk from driving before a collision in Holbeach St Johns which killed her daughter Amy.
Motorcyclist Amy was just 20 years-old when she was hit head-on by Kelk as he was overtaking another vehicle in a BMW on a foggy November night in 2022. He cruelly left her by the side of the road and ran away. She later died in hospital after suffering multiple injuries.
Kelk - who had a string of convictions - was out on licence from prison at the time of the collision but he was not reported to the police for breaking the law. A report from the probation service about Kelk, which was released to Amy’s family, showed that he had broken six of the 11 terms of his licence.
He is serving an eight year sentence after admitting five charges including causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving while disqualified.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation has found the East and West Lincolnshire Probation Delivery Unit to be ‘inadequate’ in five out of seven areas, saying that not enough attention was paid to keeping people safe.
It also criticised the ‘worrying’ lack of attention paid to keeping people safe in assessments. The risk of harm posed by people on probation was only properly analysed in 13 out of 50 cases looked at.
Ms Cooper said the inspection report ‘really struck a chord’ with her family - and has called for changes to the ‘systemic indifference to road crime’.
She said: “It completely bears out our experience of probation service failures leading to a disqualified driver on licence from a previous offence being able to drive with impunity and then go on to kill our daughter by driving dangerously.
“The report states that the risk of harm posed by people on probation was only properly analysed in 13 out of 50 cases. This is a totally unacceptable degree of failure and Amy paid the ultimate price for those failures.
“The Ministry of Justice has responded with promises of greater funding, and while that is welcome, it does not address the issue of a systemic indifference to road crime within the justice system.
“What is needed is a change of mindset to recognise the risk posed by dangerous drivers to the whole of society and an acknowledgement of the fact that dangerous driving is as significant a crime as any other.
“This is a crime that robs innocent people of their lives and shatters the lives of their loved ones beyond repair.”
Ms Cooper along with her children, Samantha Pointon and Ed Cooper, have been fighting for justice for Amy by demanding answers from the probation service - which have so far gone unanswered.
They have also written to the chief coroner to ask for the inquest to be reopened in light of information contained within in the probation report.
Amy’s family want the coroner to issue a prevention of further death order to compel the probation service to make changes. The coroner has refused.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “The government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis, placing significant strain on the probation service.
“That is why we are boosting probation funding by 45%, investing up to £700 million more a year by 2028, and are on track to recruit 2,300 more probation officers nationally by March next year. More staff using more tags will help ensure offenders receive robust supervision and keep the public safe.”
