THE DAD of Violet-Grace Youens has welcomed news that MP Marie Rimmer is continuing to call for tougher sentences for dangerous drivers in his daughter's name.
Four-year-old Violet-Grace Youens from Eccleston was crossing Prescot Road with her gran Angela French on Friday, March 24 when they were hit by a stolen car travelled at 83mph on a 30mph road.
Violet
Violet died of her injuries the next day and her gran suffered life changing injuries.
Aidan McAteer, the driver of the car was sentenced to nine years and four months.
Due to his guilty plea, he is set to be released in 2021.
In light of this sentence, Violet's parents Glenn and Becky Youens launched an online petition calling for a life sentence to be offered as the maximum sentence for those who cause death by dangerous driving - their petition garnered more that 167,000 signatures and it was debated in Parliament in July 2019.
Glenn and Becky outside Parliament following the debate in July 2019
However the government stated it would only push forward with this petition when 'parliamentary time allowed'.
Due to the delay, St Helens South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer is backing former prime minister Theresa May in bringing a Dangerous Driving Bill to the House of Commons on July 21 calling for these changes to be made.
Dad-of-two Glenn, 31, said: "We are very pleased to see Marie push forward with this. This is not about politics for us, it's about other families getting the justice Violet did not get by such a short sentence being available to the judge.
"Violet's brother and friends are getting older and are sadly understanding more and more what happened to Violet.
"It's important to bring this change in the law forward in Violet's name because it creates a lasting legacy for her, which has always been our goal since she died.
"Violet wanted to help others, and this law could help other families get justice when their loved ones die in similar ways, it's not nice to think about but noone thinks this will happen. The least that should happen as a result is justice for those taken too soon.
"We will be tuning in to watch the discussion in Parliament online and I urge others to as well, again this is not at all about politics for us, that's irrelevant, it's about politicians working together no matter their party to bring this law change in in Violet's name.
Read: MP says 'We must succeed for Violet-Grace' as she takes law change bid to parliament
"It's unexpected, with all the delays and everything, but we understand these things take time.
"However, people keep dying at the hands of dangerous driving, no matter what happens, and the law needs to give these dangerous drivers a sentence that better fits the crime."
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