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Ban them for life, says mum who lost her son

9:31am Tuesday 14th October 2008 in


THE mother of an 11-year-old boy killed in a hit-and-run by an uninsured driver last night called for motorists repeatedly caught without cover to be banned from getting behind the wheel for life.

Jason Tobola was speeding in his uninsured car when he hit Theo Hixon-Denton in Bitterne, Southampton, last November.

Instead of stopping to help the Woolston schoolboy, the 20-year-old drove less than half a mile to the home he shared with his father and set about trying to repair the dent to his bonnet.

In July, Tobola was jailed for 20 months and banned from driving for two years after admitting perverting the course of justice, leaving the scene of an accident, driving uninsured and without tax, and driving dangerously as he left the scene.

Last night, a spokeswoman for the road safety charity Brake said that uninsured and unlicensed drivers were more likely to flee the scene of an accident.

“This lengthens the time before emergency services are called and leaves the person they hit to die or be further injured by other vehicles,” she said.

Theo’s mother, Julia Hixon, believes that harsher penalties are needed to deter young people from driving without cover.

“I think if they are caught without insurance more than once, and especially if they kill someone like he has, they should never get their licence back,” she said. “By 2010 he will be out and on the road again, but I don’t think he should ever drive again.”

Mrs Nixon also issued a plea to Hampshire’s uninsured young drivers.

She said: “You must have insurance – if not, then don’t go on the road and don’t drive until you can afford to.”

The mother-of-three also said that parents must take some responsibility to ensure that their children are legally allowed to be behind the wheel.

Comments(11)

Forest Resident says...
9:47am Tue 14 Oct 08

I share in the frustration of Mrs Hixon and her family at the obvious imbalance of justice in relation to the sentance her sons killer has recieved. Mr Tobola has taken a life and was callous enough to flee the scene and attempt to cover his tracks, yet despite all these horrendous acts he does not even recieve a 2yr custodial sentance from our supposed clerks of justice. No sentance will ever bring Theo back, but 20 months for taking his life is nowhere near the realms of 'justice'. I echo Mrs Hixons suggestion that Tobola should be taken off the road for good upon his release, and he should be grateful he will still have a life to lead.

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downfader says...
9:48am Tue 14 Oct 08

It strikes me that a series of police stops are needed to not only test for substance abuse, as the police already do, but to increase the chances of catching insurance cheats.

Some of the vehicles, I'm sure many would agree, out on our roads are of questionable condition and surely not even road worthy, let alone insurable.

These drivers know what they are doing when they get behind the wheel and I agree stiffer sentancing is needed.

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AngrySotonResident says...
11:20am Tue 14 Oct 08

Fortunately Mr tobolas face was published so when he is released he can be hounded by the general public and his life can easily be made a miserable one.

I'm sure he will be made to pay.

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Dr Alimantado says...
11:52am Tue 14 Oct 08

I agree they should be banned for life but what does it achieve? If they want to drive illegally, they will. It is a sad truth that the fine for not being insured or having MOT etc is cheaper than it is to pay for all the necessary requirements.

Until this is sorted, pikey scum will continue to drive illegally. They don't care if they get caught because the punishment is something that is worth taking a risk on. Come down on them like a tonne of bricks and they might start to think twice

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Miles Sway says...
12:36pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Dr Alimantado wrote:
I agree they should be banned for life but what does it achieve? If they want to drive illegally, they will. It is a sad truth that the fine for not being insured or having MOT etc is cheaper than it is to pay for all the necessary requirements. Until this is sorted, pikey scum will continue to drive illegally. They don't care if they get caught because the punishment is something that is worth taking a risk on. Come down on them like a tonne of bricks and they might start to think twice
Completely agree - a ban to someone who's happy drive uninsured anyway is no punishment at all - the only answer is to make it hurt so bad it's not worth the risk.

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Sly Stallone says...
1:17pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Mr Tobola would be safer left in prison.

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Condor Man says...
3:19pm Tue 14 Oct 08

I'm sure he'll get some grief somewhere, find a lawyer and complain about his human rights being affected. Scum like this always will.

Perhaps on release he should compensate his victim's family for all the pain they've suffered?

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Snowman says...
6:55pm Tue 14 Oct 08

OMG are you kidding me!!.. he got charged for those offences What about vehicular manslaughter !! Geez.. 2 yr ban and 20 mths.. What the he** are they thinking..We get the insurance when we get our registration plates or we dont get the plates. Easy to spot. What a ridiculous sentence..Sad to say this kind of sentence for killing someone with a vehicle isn't that rare elsewhere too. The law needs to change...and the perpetrator should be in jail at least 10 yrs.

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Georgem says...
7:15pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Quite often, those driving un-insured are quite happy to also drive un-MOT'd, untaxed and un-licenced. Banning them for life won't make much difference. Quite why the courts think banning someone for driving whilst banned is worthwhile, is beyond me. Much like saying "Don't do that again, or I'll tell you not to do it again, again"

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ex so'ton says...
7:30pm Tue 14 Oct 08

Georgem, correct. There is around us a certain class of utter thickness that they do not know when they are breaking the law, they are in reality Outlaws, probably unable to read or write, lacking in social abilities and downright rude and arrogant in their attitudes towards others. There was an appropriate word used years ago that could be applicable now to these characters namely 'untermensch', do not expect any improvement in their future behavioural abilities!

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obelisker says...
8:12pm Tue 14 Oct 08

20 months (10 months in reality) for the manslaughter of an innocent young lad...a total outrage, this scumbag will come out and get straight into a car again of that we can be certain. So what justice has this lads family had...none..my heart goes out to them for what it's worth.

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Theo’s mum Julia Hixon and his brother Louis Hixon-Denton. Theo’s mum Julia Hixon and his brother Louis Hixon-Denton.

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