Family’s vow to get law changed

David Lorimer has been ‘sickened’ following the sentencing of three men for the manslaughter of his brother Andrew, brutally bludgeoned to death almost two years ago.

Still raw with grief, Mr Lorimer and his wife Julie said they were disgusted at the sentences handed down. Two of his killers, Christopher Wright, of Mount Zion House, and Richard Chester of no fixed abode, were each jailed for five years and five years on licence. A third man, 20-year-old James Jordan, of Princess Street was jailed for four years plus four years on licence.

However the family are shocked at the ‘light’ sentences and said they will follow the example of the people of Dunblane. The Snowdrop Campaign was founded after the Dunblane Massacre in March 1996 during which one man murdered 16 children and one adult. As a result the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 was enacted, which effectively made private ownership of handguns illegal.

Julie said: “People on the ground can make a difference.” Mr Lorimer called on everyone to lobby their MLAs.”

He is concerned that in six months time there will be another case like Andrew’s and defence barristers will be using the sentencing of Andrew’s killers to get their clients a reduced sentence. “It is wrong. We were told it was the high end of 8-15 years. Yes they were sentenced to 13 years but three years off a third for their time already served, five years in jail and five years out on licence. It doesn’t wash with me,” 
said Mr Lorimer.

“I would rather have gone through a trial and let them serve more years,” said Julie.

“There was no trial simply because the evidence on the police side was weak and it was trying to prove intent,” said Mr Lorimer.

“I’m sorry but when you lift a hammer to somebody, you know you are going to do damage,” said Julie.

“The police worked tirelessly. The head of the team and the guys that were working under him worked 24/7. I found them to be human beings. They didn’t talk to us like we were stupid. I saw a policeman with tears coming down his cheeks because he knew he wasn’t getting justice for us,” saidMr Lorimer.

“I read in the paper about a man who got seven years for scarring a policeman. Five years in prison for Wright and Chester and four years for Jordan for killing my younger brother is not long enough.”