# Charity ride cyclist killed in Kent



## glasgowcyclist (23 Mar 2014)

From the BBC:


_"A cyclist has been killed in a crash with a car in Kent while on a 24-hour charity bike ride.

Christian Smith, from Boughton Aulph, near Ashford, Kent, was raising money for mental health charity Mind when he died on the A2990 Old Thanet Way, near Chestfield, Whitstable.

An 18-year-old car driver was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and causing death by dangerous driving_.

_She has been bailed until 26 July pending further inquiries."_

GC​


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## ComedyPilot (23 Mar 2014)

RIP to the cyclist - a sad loss


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## Andy84 (23 Mar 2014)

http://www.justgiving.com/KentEpic


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## Sara_H (23 Mar 2014)

How very sad. I've donated to his Just Giving page. Seemed only right.


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## Louch (23 Mar 2014)

agreed.


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## glenn forger (23 Mar 2014)

An 18 year old drunk in a car at 4am. Two families destroyed.


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## numbnuts (23 Mar 2014)

RIP condolances to familly and friends


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## Crankarm (23 Mar 2014)

Awful, awful. RIP Chris Smith. His family and close friends must be going through hell right now. Condolences and sympathy.

Hope this driver gets put a away for a long time with a long long ban starting when they get out of prison.


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## Trickedem (23 Mar 2014)

Terrible news. In the BBC southeast news this evening they were reporting this as a hit and run. What beggars belief is that the accused has already been released on bail.


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## Louch (23 Mar 2014)

a ton in weight car isnt taken seriously enough as a weapon in any drink drive case


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## glenn forger (24 Mar 2014)

Sara_H said:


> How very sad. I've donated to his Just Giving page. Seemed only right.



Up to £44k now.


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## ianrauk (24 Mar 2014)

A dreadfully sad incident.


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## glenn forger (24 Mar 2014)

There's been a second arrest, a man this time. racing?


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## Cycling Dan (24 Mar 2014)

glenn forger said:


> There's been a second arrest, a man this time. racing?


Likely drunk like the other driver. 
Its really sad when a driver driver takes anothers life. 
I much rather they kill themselves in the pursuit. Its a win win then.


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## glenn forger (24 Mar 2014)

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crim...f-cyclist-on-24hour-charity-ride-9212219.html


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## steveindenmark (24 Mar 2014)

Trickedem said:


> Terrible news. In the BBC southeast news this evening they were reporting this as a hit and run. What beggars belief is that the accused has already been released on bail.



Its a terrible sad event. RIP

If it is not thought that the accused will flee, there is no point in keeping them in custody. If it was thought they would flee, they would have been remanded in custody. Personally, I would prefer the revenge system, but we work on the justice system.

It appears that the driver is an 18 year old female.

Lets see what the courts come up with.

Steve


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## spen666 (28 Mar 2014)

steveindenmark said:


> ....
> If it is not thought that the accused will flee, there is no point in keeping them in custody. If it was thought they would flee, they would have been remanded in custody. ....


 
Point of Law
Before they can be remanded in custody, they have to be CHARGED/ (or summonsed) with an offence. To be arrested is not sufficient to remand someone in custody


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## steveindenmark (28 Mar 2014)

spen666 said:


> Point of Law
> Before they can be remanded in custody, they have to be CHARGED/ (or summonsed) with an offence. To be arrested is not sufficient to remand someone in custody



I thought that would be obvious...sorry.

Certainly enough evidence to charge them I would suspect.

Steve


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## spen666 (28 Mar 2014)

steveindenmark said:


> I thought that would be obvious...sorry.
> 
> Certainly enough evidence to charge them I would suspect.
> 
> Steve




I suspect there is not enough evidence yet, hence why they have not been charged. I suspect (and am guessing here) that problem is proving which of the 2 were driving


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## glasgowcyclist (3 Apr 2014)

Sara_H said:


> How very sad. I've donated to his Just Giving page. Seemed only right.


 
Likewise. 

His amount raised is now over £78,700, a fantastic sum for an important organisation. I hope it gets through the £100,000 mark.

GC


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## glasgowcyclist (24 Nov 2014)

The woman driving the car has now admitted death by dangerous driving and being double the drink/drive limit.

_An 18-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a cyclist during a charity bike ride in Kent.
Bethany Mackie was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit when her car hit Christian Smith, 38, from behind.
The father-of-three from Boughton Aluph, near Ashford, was completing the last leg of a 24-hour 248-mile ride across Kent and Sussex on 22 March. 
He was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision, on the A2990 Old Thanet Way, near Chestfield, Whitstable.
Appearing before Canterbury Crown Court, Mackie, from Beltinge Road in Herne Bay, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol._​
Hopefully she'll be spending Christmas (and then some) in prison.

GC


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## glenn forger (24 Nov 2014)

She could have got a taxi. Instead three children have no father. She needs to reflect on her actions when she goes to prison.


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## BSRU (24 Nov 2014)

She should be made to meet the three children and explain why she killed him.


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## numbnuts (24 Nov 2014)

I know it is not going to bring the father back, but anybody that kills a person after drinking should have their licence revoked for life as it is a privilege to have a licence and not a right.


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## BSRU (24 Nov 2014)

User said:


> Have they not suffered enough?


I should have added if the children want to.


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## Crankarm (24 Nov 2014)

If the children are young then when they are older, much older and grown up, they should track the driver Mackie down, knock at her door and ask her why she killed their father all those years ago?

I hope she spends a long time in prison. She needs at least a 10 year driving ban to run from when she comes out.


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## glasgowcyclist (24 Nov 2014)

Crankarm said:


> She needs at least a 10 year driving ban to run from when she comes out.



I'd rather see a lifetime ban for this combination of offences. According to Kent Police she was also charged with failing to stop so she's not the kind of person I'd ever want to let behind the wheel of a car ever again.

GC


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## MattyKo (24 Nov 2014)

Pretty grim that some one that has held a driving licence for no more than 23 months firstly has decided to drive whilst drunk and firstly again for the consequences of that decision to result in a gentleman's death. It is unfortunate that irrespective of the likelihood of a custodial sentence been issued by the judicial bench, the length of such a punishment shall (probably in view of admission of guilt (hence their legal team suggesting that admission) and their age) be no more than the 23 months maximum they had been driving.

30/12/14

The actual punishment handed down by the bench was five years imprisonment, which on the basis that you can anticipate an automatic 50 % reduction in sentence for term of imprisonment five years or less ( approximately 30 % reduction for sentences of greater length ), this person shall be released from prison within 23 months of the date the door was initially locked upon them.

I have suggested on numerous occasions and argued for an even long period of time, longer than this website has been in existence, for tougher punishment for the drivers of vehicles which result in the untimely passing of life, I cannot argue that things are moving in the wrong direction - it is great to hear that one of those black boxes was fitted to the vehicle, however, this was on the instruction of the insurance company and presumably with agreement from the driver - why not fit them as mandatory to all vehicles.

Furthermore, why no make the punishment fit the crime, if we are no able to detain someone for longer, why not just ban people for driving for life, if their actions result in someone's passing. Okay this does then begin rather more complex issues of consequence, etc, but why no just begin with some one dying and the person found to be at fault was over the limit. Arguments of rehabilitation are not important because stopping or prohibiting someone from driving should not be consequential upon argument of civil liberties, etc. I know I am arguing to the already converted however it is interesting to put my point across nevertheless.


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## puffinbilly (19 Dec 2014)

Seems appalling - you can be twice the drink drive limit kill someone and only get sentenced to five years - where's the deterrent?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-30553947


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## glenn forger (19 Dec 2014)

The important points for me are that she was speeding, and tried to get away. When the police arrived she was walking away from the scene, away from the man she killed. I dunno if it's true but some people on the comments beneath the Kent newspaper report say she was bragging on Facebook about parties and holidays after she'd killed Mr Smith:

She told police: _'I didn't see him. He didn't wear any reflectives at all.'_ Wrongly thinking that the speed limit was 70mph, she added: 'I'm sure that I was doing 69mph.'

Miss Packham said the aggravating features of the case included Mackie's excess speed, her alcohol consumption and the fact she left the scene.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...248-mile-charity-bike-ride.html#ixzz3MNWxwA2y 

Drunk. Speeding. Tried to get away, then blamed the man she had just killed for his own death. Bethany Mackie is a very special type of person.


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## glenn forger (22 Dec 2014)

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/herne-bay/news/teenage-drink-driver-jailed-for-28940/

A teenage drink driver who told a court of her “genuine remorse” for knocking down and killing a cyclist enjoyed a booze-fuelled Christmas trip just days before she was jailed.

Beth Mackie, 18, fought back tears on Friday as a judge was told she was “struggling to deal with” causing the death of dad-of-three Christian Smith while more than double the legal limit.

But just a week before, the teenager held a full wine glass aloft and posed for the camera as she caught the train to London’s Winter Wonderland.


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