UK & World News
- 24 May 2012, 19:43
Swindon Town Defends Drink Drive Goalkeeper
Swindon Town FC has defended its decision to allow a footballer, whose drink driving led to the deaths of two small children, to train with the club.
Luke McCormick will join Swindon Town football club for a trial when he is released from Leyhill prison in June.
But the club's chairman, Jeremy Wray, insisted his decision was more about rehabilitation for the footballer than for the club's benefit.
"I'm not in desperate need of a goalkeeper.
"This is someone who's served his time in prison and is now looking to reintegrate into society.
"He goes back to the profession he was in before, can we help him by allowing him to come and train with us and rebuild his life and hopefully put something back?
"He is full of remorse. He has spoken to the PFA about working with young players and explaining the pitfalls of drinking driving.
"This is not about football, it's about Swindon doing what's right in the community - for rehabilitation."
McCormick was jailed for seven years and four months in October 2008 after the deaths of Arron Peak, 10, and his brother Ben, eight, in a crash on the M6 in Staffordshire.
Mr Peak, from Partington in Manchester, was at the wheel of the family's Toyota andalso suffered serious injuries that left him in a wheelchair.
McCormick was returning from a team-mate's wedding and was found to be twice the legal drink-drive limit at the time of the crash.
He had been seen with his friends drinking beer and downing shots of Sambuca at the reception.
The 28-year-old has been training with the Swindon club while on day release from prison since January.
The dead boys' mother, Amanda Peak, has said the club's decision to take on the former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper feels "like a kick in the stomach".
"Swindon might be a family club but now they are hiring a man who has torn my family apart," she told The Sun newspaper.
Mr Wray added: "Our view is that it is very easy to say that it's too difficult a subject to bother with.
"We thought long and hard about it, and it has to be made clear that everybody's thoughts can only go to the family of those two young boys and their father who was badly injured.
"Tragedy is a word used too often, but this was a tragedy and it can never be changed.
"He (McCormick) will live with what has happened every day of his life but he has the chance to give something back, to show the tragedies of drink-driving."
what do you think?
Derek Porter
Let out early and allowed to continue as an overpaid footballer. It stinks.
Alan Maddock
i can understand the hurt and hatred, but he has to be allowed to earn a living no matter what he did,
Valerie Wood
yes he has to earn a living but as i have posted he should do work in a more deserving field rather than a profession that actually encourages the "fast" life.
Julie Crumpton
Yes, Valerie! All those "bleating" well what's he expected to do.......give up the privileged way of life, with all the trappings......go find something else! Give that job of goalkeeper, who doesn't go round, getting tanked up, and KILLING KIDS!!!!!
Valerie Wood
I feel so sorry for the family who lost the children. This footballer should spend his time working with bereaved families and putting all thoughts of football and stardom behind him. He does NOT deserve it ever.
Julie Crumpton
Too right he doesn't , Valerie, this is so wrong!
johnethorley
This is hideous and shows how devoid of any sense of moral judgement some in the sport of football have become. Utterly disgusting!
Adrian Wagstaff
He's not going to be very safe on football pitches is he really?
Julie Crumpton
Don't be flippant, not on this occasion :-/
mcishere
Get of his back, let him get on with his life, he has done the time, let it go you sad lot.
John Henderson
It's you that is the sad one fellow. The two he killed wont be getting on with their lives will they ? You wouldn't be talking like that if they were your children.
Julie Crumpton
Awww! Don't like the truth, then? HE DESTROYED A FAMILY!!!!!!
Sarah Lovatt
Amanda is now a full time carer for Phil because of this. McCormick was told by team mates at the time, not to get into the car to which he ignored. He was twice the drink drive limit and doing way over the speed limit when he hit the Peak's vehicle. He has left not only the Peak's devestated, but the friends of the boys that were also in the car. He should never have been at the wheel of the vehicle and as for living with it for the rest of his life...how does he think the family feels?
Julie Crumpton
It's just terrible! I'm so angry about this!
Sarah Lovatt
I dont live far from the Peak family and a lot of friends know the family well. Since this Amanda and Phil have been campaigning for the charity Brake, but we all feel that this in completely rubbing it in. McCormick can get on with his life and his family, the Peak family have been distroyed. McCormick is to blame and it just goes to show that the Justicew system in the country is a joke and Swindon Town should be ashamed of themselves
Julie Crumpton
Swindon town should be hanging their heads in shame! So the lunatic driver gets to carry on with his life, thankyou very much, while that poor families hell goes on forever! Please don't tell me this idiot gets to drive again? Do you know, havnt been this angry for a while, He killed two kids, does that mean nothing at all now? What is it about bloody footballers........! As they say, and I truely believe.....karma is a b.tch!n oh! And please....don't anyone say that he's done his time!
Paul Hayes
What do you suggest he does?
Julie Crumpton
Well for one thing, he should still be locked up, and to put himself back in the public eye, he's got some nerve! He gets to pick up where he left off.....what about the family who's lives he devastated! ........stacking shelves maybe!?
Paul Hayes
That's a bit insulting to anyone stacking shelves! Why should their job be considered punishment? I really don't know what the public want in this country. The blood lust appears on these boards every time a crime story is reported. It's just a good job we don't have mob rule in this country, otherwise there would be people swinging from lamp posts every day. I believe his sentence was too short, and he should have at least served the full term, but beyond that it is up to him. One other possibility is that he reads the vitriol being shouted at him, thinks he can't take it and commits suicide. Many criminals have, but is that really what you want? How will that help the victims of the original crime? I suppose he may also come face to face with a vigilante one day who'd give him a good kicking and put him in a wheelchair. Maybe that's justice? What exactly is Karma for you??
Valerie Wood
Paul you sound like one of the bleeding heart brigade. I certainly don't support vigilantie behaviour but you must admit that the short sentence he got was an insult to the family that suffered greatly. The footballer does not deserve to be allowed the opportunity to do a sport that many deserving young lads never get a chance to do. He is NOT a role model and if he has any feelings or remorse about what he did then he would forfeit his footballing career and instead follow another that is more worthwhile to society.
Mary Steel
Reward him for what he did, that seems to be the normal outcome these days, he has to LIVE with the choices he made, those little lads had their lives cut short and had no choice. their father and mother have to live with the consequences of his stupidity. Do not think he will be shown any support from many fans, he should hang his head in shame, hope he never gets a good night sleep ever again.
Julie Crumpton
If he's got the nerve to put himself in the public eye, I should imagine he can sleep soundly!
Paul Hayes
I doubt he's qualified to do anything else, so why shouldn't he apply for a job as a footballer? If he'd been an electrician would we all be insisting he change career? I suppose he could put his feet up and sit on benefits for the rest of his life, but he's chosen to work. The fact is he has served his time, as laid down by the Court. If you feel the sentence was too lenient (as I do), or he should not have been let out early, then the criticism should be of the Court system. In my opinion 7 years and 10 months should mean 7 years and 10 months, plus prison should be a punishment!
Julie Crumpton
Oh come ON! Footballers like the money fame and glory! Hardly comparable to a sparky! Duh!
Gordon Wright
I have very little time for drunk drivers but for once it would appear that an appropriate sentence was imposed. Nevertheless, this man has served his sentence and unless people want him living on benefits, he has to find a job of some sort. Given that football is probably the only thing he is good at and that jobs are hard to come by these days, I cannot see what else he is supposed to do. Perhaps if he donated some of his salary to an appropriate charity, this might go some way to dispelling some of the animosity he will undoubtedly face.
Robbie369P .
"He (McCormick) will live with what has happened every day of his life but he has the chance to give something back, to show the tragedies of drink-driving." Give what back? Be an overpaid professional footballer and go back to his old lifestyle?
Julie Crumpton
Exactly!
Julie Crumpton
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
mary
Please please tell me this is not true. 2 babies murdered and yes it was murder.1 man left in a wheelchair.1 mother in emotional pain for the rest of her days.and 1 goal keeper happy for the rest of his life. can he live with himsalf. oh yes he can. I can only hope everything turns to ashes for him. monster is not a strong enough word for him.
Geraint Morgans
He didn't serve a very long sentence for destroying 4 lives through self indulgence and selfishness.
Juls Adams
Let out early and allowed to continue as an overpaid footballer. It stinks. i agree with Derek porter... money works all the time life for a life i say, apart from footballers were there muck there's money !! ( my sympathy to the dear mother ) ( and her to lovely boys ) RIP..XX
Phylip de la Maziere
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
pelletts
Is there nothing clubs won't do to earn money at the turnstiles? It is shocking, the chairman ought to be ashamed of him self.
Juls Adams
i wouldnt expect anything else from spoilt arrogant brain dead footballers.anyone that kills or injures someone when driving under the effects of drink or drugs should be charged for murder or gbh with intent to kill and dangerous driving.the lesser sentence i think should be a mininum of 10years.kill someone life in prison.footballers get away with murder literally.money talks and always will.buys u a lesser sentence if you know the right people
Ron Cheetham
11:23am on 24/5/2012
that beggars belief