Families Bereaved Through Car Crime

The cherished words 'daddy', normally fill a heart with joy , but for Joanne and Jason Watson they only bring tears and unhappiness; the big hearted couple may have opened their home to nine-year-old Connie and six-year-old Tyler Watson, whose parents were killed by car thieves, but Jason admits:

 "We can never replace the children's parents; their mummy and daddy were stolen from them by  so called" Joyriders" and they can never be replaced ,ever.  People think there's a happy ending  to this tragic story but there`s not; some people have broadcast this or printed that, but trust me ,there is no happy ending".

Belfast couple, Charmaine 27, and Justin Watson 24, died within hours of each other after a stolen car smashed into their vehicle at 100mph.  A road block had been set up to stop the car thieves, but when the thugs saw the police they did a U-turn, striking four vehicles including the Watsons car.  Charmaine died at the scene and Justin, who sustained massive internal injuries, died in Coleraine Hospital 14 hours later.  Their three-year-old son, Tyler, suffered multiple injuries and was left fighting for his life. Against all the odds he survived.  He spent six weeks in The Royal Victoria Hospital with a ruptured spleen and diaphragm, collapsed lung and a broken leg and chin.  The crash, which also killed joyrider Brian Donnelly, happened on the main Portrush to Ballymoney Road on July 23 1999.

 For the last three years Joanne and Jason, who was Justin's first cousin, have raised Connie and Tyler.  However, it has not been the fairy story portrayed by certain sections of the media;  and the couple are keen to get across to the public the heartbreaking reality of so called" joyriding".  Jason said: "By painting this perfect picture you are taking away from the crime that was committed ; It`s a miracle Tyler survived. He has been left with a limp because his muscles wasted away having spent so long in plaster."  Joanne added:  "He went into a daze when he was told about his mummy and daddy ; he did grieve a lot at the start but all I could do was hold him because there were no words that could change things. At the time he seemed to take it in but as he gets older he doesn't seem to understand or remember. There are pictures and videos of his mummy and daddy but he has no memory of them; even that was taken from him; it's amazing after all he has been through, that his personality has stayed the same way. He is a normal little six-year-old;  however, Connie, who was six at the time of the crash, but was not in the car, has struggled to come to terms  with her  loss ; Jason said:  "Connie has  been counselled since three months after the" accident" , she did terrible things when she first came to live with us, but she was just letting her anger out;  it's harder for her because she was that bit older and has memories of her parents; I think she`s afraid to get close to anyone in case she loses them also."   Joanne said, "She just bottles everything up inside her because she doesn't like to worry you, but we have come to learn when something is wrong.  Everyday is a learning experience with the children , but we know from  the counseling with Connie, what  signs to watch out for, with Tyler. We have consulted a bereavement counselor and Connie is starting a six week course next month and we are hoping that they will be able to help her ; Tyler is still a bit young for the course so perhaps he will be going next year, or when we think it necessary."  

Joanne and Jason didn't have the usual nine months to prepare for the arrival of children, but they have no regrets about becoming Connie and Tyler's legal guardians.  Their only regret is that they had to fill a void that has been left by the death of the children's parents.  Joanne said:  "What was worrying was that the children had been left without a mummy or daddy.  "We decided to become legal guardians within a short space of time, because we felt that it was that the children had been left without a mummy and daddy.  "We decided to become legal guardians within a short space of time because we felt that it was the right thing to do and since then, we have just taken each day as it comes."  Jason said:  "We have had strangers come up to us and pat us on the back for what we are doing but we are not doing anything special - we are doing what we feel is right ; I couldn't imagine the house without them now and when they were away staying with their granny, last summer, it drove us mental."  The children now call the couple 'mummy' and 'daddy'. Jason added:  "They both call us mummy and daddy but they know that we are not their real parents."

 For Joanne and Jason the words are just a cruel reminder of what the kids have been through.  Joanne said,  "When they get into their teenage years that's when they will  most need, their parents.  "People say they are now part of a happy family- and they are - but they  already  were a happy family before and that  has been cruelly, snatched away from them;  we can try and do our best for them, but we will never be able to be their real  mummy and daddy."

 The thug who caused such mayhem, killing his friend as well as the Watson's, was west Belfast man, Desmond Savage, now 26 and two years into an eight year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving.  Jason said: "people think everything is great now, but Connie and Tyler have lost the most important people in their  young lives ;  Savage robbed these two children of their parents ; does he care? Will he be able to stand in front of Connie and Tyler and explain how and why he killed their parents? I think everybody wants a happy ending but there will never be a happy ending."

 And for that reason Jason and Joanne are determined that no more families will endure such pain and suffering.  Jason:  "We just want to add our weight to your campaign because this is an important issue;  what amazes me is the amount of suffering that other families have  had to go through since it happened to us;  when it happens to other people, like the McCombes, it brings it all back and you feel a lot of anger;  this is everyone's problem,  so remember little Tyler and Connie and become part of the solution."

Watson Family