A GOVERNMENT minister today gave fresh hope to the family of PC Jeff Tooley.

Home Officer minister Charles Clarke said he hoped the law could be changed to give judges greater powers to punish motorists convicted of death by dangerous driving.

PC Tooley died last April when he was mown down by 46-year-old van driver John Heaton while on duty in Shoreham.

Heaton had been drinking before the crash and set fire to his van afterwards.

He was jailed for just seven years and could walk free in three and a half.

The Argus has been campaigning for judges to have the option of imposing longer sentences in similar cases.

Today PC Tooley's mother Veronica and brother Russell, 23, travelled to the Home Office with Shoreham MP Tim Loughton to meet Mr Clarke.

They were also joined by West Worthing MP Peter Bottomley and Sgt Nigel Nuttall, from Horsham traffic division.

The hour-long meeting allowed PC Tooley's relatives to voice their concerns about the sentence handed down to Heaton, and they emerged feeling positive.

It was announced in December that a working party had been set up to look into the current sentencing powers.

And Mr Clarke told MP Mr Loughton today it was his personal desire to see the law changed to give judges increased powers as soon as possible.

Mrs Tooley, who has been so devastated by her son's death that she spent Christmas helping the homeless, said: "Jeff felt very passionately about death on roads because he saw so much of it.

"A ten-year sentence, on the face of it, would be acceptable but everyone knows it isn't ten years. The true time in prison is far less. This is why we feel if the judges had more scope, like 25 years, it would be a more acceptable punishment.

"But mainly it would be a deterrent.

"The public should not have to worry that someone driving behind them has been drinking and the only way to stop this is by having tougher sentences.

"There should also be more public awareness. There is the drink driving campaign at Christmas, but what about the rest of the year? I'd like to see a poster in every pub telling people that drink driving can kill.

"By the time someone is killed it's too late. The minister was very sympathetic and very encouraging. We are now going to keep on fighting the good fight."

Jeff's brother Russell said: "The main reason we're here is because we'd like stiffer penalties.

"It's not just a vindictive thing about the guy who went down for killing Jeff. It's to help other people and to stop it happening again.

"It's about making people think about not having that extra drink in the pub or driving faster to get home in time for a TV programme."

"It is early days yet but we've got great support and all the components to push on and hopefully get legislation changed."

Veronica and Russell Tooley and MP Tim Loughton all praised the Argus Justice For Jeff Campaign for keeping the issue in the public eye.

A Home Office review working party has been set up to look at the matter and will make recommendations to the minister later this year.

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