Joyriders leave Derry man for dead in road
MLA’s relative seriously ill
By Erin Hutcheon
Derry Journal
26 August 2008
Suspected joyriders have run down the brother-in-law of Sinn Fein MLA Mitchel McLaughlin and left him seriously ill in hospital.
Don Campbell, who is his 50s, was knocked down in a car park near Ballyarnett Country Park on Friday evening. Local residents say the area has become a blackspot for joyriders and speeding motorists.
Mr. Campbell was found lying in the car park however it not yet known exactly where he was struck by the car, or how he got to the car park. His condition yesterday was described as “serious.”
The incident is the second in a series of hit and runs. A few weeks ago, a man was knocked down in nearby Racecourse Road, and then assaulted by the occupants of the car.
Sinn Fein MLA Raymond McCartney said residents had complained that joyriders were not being given appropriate sentences when prosecuted.
He said: “We need to reassure people that the people responsible for this will be held to account. There have been complaints in the past and we have dealt with this with the PSNI, that a number of people who were arrested go to court and get bail too easily. There has been in the past condemnation of the length of sentences.”
SDLP Councillor Helen Quigley said politicians had warned for some time that it was only a matter of time before there was a tragedy.
She said: “It would appear that this very serious incident has resulted from actions that are becoming a regular occurrence in the area and it seems that this has been the case for quite some time.
“There is now a responsibility on the police to put extra resources into tackling joyriding here and in the other hotspot areas around the city. We have been saying for some time that it will only be a matter of time before a tragedy happens.”
Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident or has information about it, to contact them.
'So venceremos, beidh bua againn eigin lá eigin. Sealadaigh abú.'
--Bobby Sands