Families Bereaved Through Car Crime

The grieving father of yet another victim of Ulster's maniac 'joyriding' craze said last night that he will never forgive his son's killers.  Heartbroken Kieran Conlon spoke out just days after his 21 year-old son and namesake was buried - and said:  "It just wasn't meant to happen like that."  Young Kieran had just started a new job at a timber yard in west Belfast and was making plans for a holiday in the summer to Tenerife.  Friends and cousins watched in horror as the vehicle ploughed into him as he left becketts nightclub in Twinbrook early last Sunday morning.  Kieran senior said his son didn't stand a chance.  "We can't take it in.  We are in pieces.  He was our only son.  When I went to hospital after receiving the call that he had been hit I was thinking maybe he'd broken an arm or a leg but the ground could have swallowed me up when they said he was dead.

NOT MEANT

 "It's not right or fair that someone goes out for a night never to come back - it just wasn't meant to happen like that."  Now the Conlon family are pleading with the public to get behind a campaign and rally at Belfast city hall on June 15.  They want to ensure that their son's death becomes the last in a horrific catalogue of victims killed or maimed through this deadly pursuit.  " If people knew what we were going through they make sure this is stopped.  Our lives have been ripped apart.  Kieran was our only son and was a great lad.  "He loved sport and was really waiting for the World Cup to start.  "This time last week he was saying he couldn't wait.  He was even planning with his cousins and friends to have one of the pint and breakfast promotions which are going on in all the bars.  "Who would have thought that he would have end up buried in his kit instead."  The sudden death has left the family devastated, grieving, extremely angry and frustrated with the system they believe fails to get tough with offenders.  "Politicians, the media as well need to wake up to what's going on.  These people who kill face charges kill face charges of taking and driving away a vehicle - it should be death by dangerous driving," he said.  " Time should fit the crime - I have lost a son.  That is a life sentence for Kieran and this whole family and they can walk away to re offend.  "We are only asking for one or two hours of people's time and would call on parties of all persuasions to show support - it could be anyone's son, daughter, husband or wife at any time.  "People are ignoring the reality of what is going on.  What's the difference in driving a car purposely at someone or carrying a lethal weapon - they are both the same thing."  Mr Conlon, who revealed that in a cruel twist of fate his son was killed outside the filling station where his wife Sharon had worked, said he could never forgive his son's killers.  But he added:  " I would be happy if I knew something good come out of this but I will never forgive those who did this."  The family, which is trying to come to terms with its sudden loss, said they were faced with reminders of their son at every turn.  " The hardest thing is seeing reminders of him everywhere even down to the clothes still in the laundry basket.

EDUCATION

"I'd also bought him a new pair of boots which he never got to wear - it's all the wee stupid things. " But at this rally we need to get across to people that this situation can't go on.  It's too important, this rally's too important.  " Education has to hold the key - but we need to get these people of the streets if only they could see the grief they cause people."  Mr Conlon said his family believed that only stiffer sentences would act as a deterrent.  "It is not joyriding as people call it - it is death driving and killing innocent people who do that can deal with this or live with themselves.  " There is more anger and frustration than anything among this community, in the way he has been killed.  It was reported in the media that he was killed in an" accident."  Like millions of other football fans Kieran Conlon should have been cheering on the Ireland World Cup squad yesterday.  Instead, the tragic 'joyride' victim was buried wearing the brand new strip which he never had a chance to wear during the World Cup.  The 21-year-old West Belfast man, a lively popular lad with everything to live for, was cruelly struck down in his prime after a night out.  He was to become the latest victim of the madness which has come to blights Ulster's roads, mown down by a stolen car.

 COMMUNITIES

must now ostracise and turn-in known joyriders, campaigners have urged.  The call by both the Conlon family and campaign groups spokesman Tommy Holland came as the car thieves showed no let-up in their deadly pursuit despite the latest death.  Kieran's death, which comes just weeks after teenager Debbie McComb was struck down on the Whitrock Road in March, brings to 25 the number killed by speeding, stolen cars.  Thousands have also been left maimed or traumatised through car theft. Mr Holland, who led a delegation earlier this week to meet West Belfast divisional PSNI commander Maggie Hunter, said Kieran's death must not be in vain.  " There`s a lot of anger and frustration out there in the community ,about the way these people are being killed and the" penalties "mean those responsible can walk away to do it again.  " Ultimately there must be an overhaul of the system and a new approach; we know there are some groups out there working to address this," he said.  

IMPACT

A multi-agency initiative, which includes the Probation Board, the Juvenile Justice Centre, Health Trusts and Education and Library Board, was set up to tackle the growing scourge of 'joy-riding'.  Members of the Community for Restorative Justice Centre group, will also address the same event. But despite the initiatives, Mr Holland said a new law was absolutely essential, to halt the carnage ; he also said that, ironically , in Canada, where the Conlons had lived for 12 years, there were far tougher sentences for car crime; offenders who steal cars can be charged with Grand Theft Auto which carries a minimum  period of 10 years in jail. Meanwhile, two teenagers, charged with the killing of Kieran Conlon are to appear in court again for sentencing. Stephen Campbell, 19 from Broom Park was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, taking and driving away a vehicle and arson. A16-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also charged in connection with the heinous crime.

Conlon Family