Four month's for my son's life. Call that justice? (From Barry And District News)

Four month's for my son's life. Call that justice?

A BARRY mother has hit out at the four month sentence given to the drink driver who knocked down her son.

Kerry Palmer's son Aaron, 18, died when he was hit by a car on Boxing Day which was driven by Thomas Barker.

The 20-year-old of Beaufort Way, Rhoose, admitted being nearly twice over the drink drive limit at Barry Magistrates Court last week.

He was sentenced to four months in a young offender's institute and banned from driving for three years.

A police investigation found there was no evidence to suggest Barker's manner of driving caused Mr Palmer's death.

This has angered Aaron's family.

Devastated Kerry, 44, of Evelyn Street, told the News: "I don't know what I am doing from day to day.

"The person who killed my son has been put inside for four months but when he gets out he will still have a life to lead. With good behaviour he will out in two months.

"I think he should not be allowed to drive again. He was given a three-year ban. My son had driving lessons for his birthday but he will never be able to learn."

She added: "When Mother's Day was approaching, I wanted to sleep from Saturday through until Monday morning so I missed it.

"I have two other children but it was terrible that I only received two cards because there was one missing on the mantelpiece."

The mum and her husband, Roger say they will never get over the night when Aaron was knocked down at the crossroads leading from Boverton to Eglwys Brewis.

By a cruel twist of fate, Roger was working at the very hospital where his son was taken.

Kerry said: "Roger was working in the Heath Hospital at the time Aaron's body was in the morgue.

"He could not work thinking about his son lying there and had to come home. After that he had time off work because of the strain.

She also spoke of how her other two children Kimberly, 16, and Ashley, 12, plus their extended family, are not coping with the after effects of the tragedy.