Families Bereaved Through Car Crime

Joyriding is murder- that is the firm belief of the Mc Comb family. The heartbroken family of Debbie Mc Comb, who was killed by "joy riders", is determined that the life-loving teenager's death was not in vain. The family has given its full backing to a hard hitting Sunday People campaign to stamp out the menace of 'joy riding'.

Debbie's mum Mary said: "There is so much anger in this house at the moment, but we will not give up until  we get these people off our streets and one way to do that is through tougher sentences. "There are no deterrents for 'joyriders' because the sentences as they stand are rubbish and the jails are more like holiday camps".

The Mc Comb family's grief made them determined that no other family should have to endure the pain and suffering they have undergone. Jean, Debbie's older sister, said: "Where's the joy in 'joyriding?. It should be treated as murder and that might make these hoods who steal cars realise the consequences of there selfish actions. "They took my sister's life so they should get life." Jim, the oldest of the family of 10 children, whose car was stolen by 'joyriders last year said: "The sentences for car thieves are far too short. "They are in and out in no time and go straight back to where they left off while families like ours are left to pick up the pieces. "There is no example being made of these people who are terrorising the community. "Surely the judges must see that the sentences they give out to people are not having any effect. "People committing these crimes know that if they get caught they will be put away for a short and easy time. "Longer, tougher sentences are the only way to get this message across." However, the Mc Combs are adamant that the powers-to-be must also shoulder part of the blame for 'joyriding. Bill Mc Comb, uncle of the victim, said: "There's a legacy of institutional neglect in these areas from the government right down.

When you have an area where there's such a high level of social and economic deprivation, 'joyriding is the result." The Education board needs to review what provisions they have for youths." But Bill stress that the community also has a roll to play in combating 'joyriding  He said: "If you take a car and drive it excess speed in an urban area the likelihood is that you are going to knock down someone and kill them. "The community therefore has to let these people know in a peaceful way that their behaviour is unacceptable."Life should be made uncomfortable for these people by sending them to Coventry and cutting off any support including from their own family while they are behind bars. "Jean has called on the people of Northern Ireland to throw their weight behind the campaign. "The more people who know about this the better. It's simply not good enough to turn a blind eye because we thought this would never happen to us and look at us now."

Mc Comb Family