A PETITION calling for Violet's Law, which urges the Government to impose life sentences for people who cause death by dangerous driving, will be debated by MPs on Monday.

The petition, which has more than 164,000 signatures, was started by Glenn and Rebecca Youens whose four-year-old daughter, Violet-Grace, was killed by a hit-and-run driver in St Helens in March 2017.

Almost 3,000 people in Warrington signed the petition.

The driver, Aidan Mcateer, was later convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

Warrington Guardian:

Aidan McAteer could be out in two years

He was jailed for nine years and four months and is expected to be out of prison on licence by 2021.

Violet's parents Glenn and Becky Youens were appalled by the sentence and launched the online petition in February after waiting 18 months for the Government to act on its vow to strengthen sentencing powers for people convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

The family want life sentences, with a minimum tariff of 15 years, for motorists convicted of the offence.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how McAteer, then 23, and passenger Dean Brennan, 27, had ran past Violet-Grace as she lay injured on the ground after the car had struck her on Prescot Road.

McAteer, who fled to Amsterdam within hours of the collision, pleaded guilty to causing Violet-Grace's death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury to her grandmother Angela French, who suffered life-changing injuries.

Brennan was jailed for six years and eight months after admitting the aggravated taking of a vehicle and assisting an offender.

The court heard the stolen Ford Fiesta, which had cloned number plates, began travelling at speeds of about 80mph in the busy 30mph area after passing a police car on a roundabout.

The car had been through two red lights before it lost control on Prescot Road and hit a kerb before colliding with Angela, who was crossing the road with her granddaughter in her arms.

The vehicle then hit a lamppost and the defendants, both from Prescot, got out of the driver's side door, running past the injured youngster to make their escape.

CCTV footage played in court showed McAteer running down a nearby street in the moments following the crash, with Brennan a short distance behind him.

Angela suffered serious injuries to her legs, as well as fractures to her feet, ribs and jaw.

Sentencing Judge Denis Watson QC, said: "You must have seen Mrs French and Violet lying, desperately injured, on the road, yet neither of you stopped, neither of you did anything to summon help, neither of you gave them a moment's thought or gave them any assistance at all.

"Your thoughts were for yourself, your escape and of avoiding responsibility for what happened."

The court heard within hours of the fatal collision, at 3pm on a Friday, McAteer had boarded a plane to Amsterdam, after Brennan went to his mother's house to collect his passport for him.

Brennan handed himself in the following Monday.

McAteer returned to the country after his mother, Alicia, who was in court for the sentencing, made an appeal through police for him to come back.

He was arrested at Manchester Airport after getting a flight back to the country from Alicante, Spain, on Thursday, March 30, 2017.

Peter Hussey, prosecuting, said when interviewed by officers McAteer said after the crash he had decided to clear his head "go to Amsterdam for a few days and smoke some weed".

Violet's parents believe the sentences were too weak, prompting the campaign for Violet-Grace's Law.

McAteer was also sentenced for causing serious injury to Angela by driver dangerously but the sentences run concurrently rather than consecutively.

When parole is taken into account, he could be out of prison after serving less time than Violet lived.

Glenn and Becky have also called for changes in the law that mean sentences run consecutively when a dangerous driver has multiple victims.

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 In their petition the parents said: “The men who killed our daughter drove a stolen a car at 83 mph in a 30 mph zone.

"They killed our 4-year-old daughter Violet-Grace and severely injured her nan, who has life-changing injuries.

"They will serve less time in prison than Violet was alive. I don’t want other families to suffer like this.”

They add: “In October 2017, the Government promised life sentences for death by dangerous driving.

"It’s now 2019. Innocent people have been killed, but nothing has changed. The law is out of date.

“Anyone convicted of death by dangerous driving should receive life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 15 years. If more than one person is killed or injured, the sentences must run separately.”

In response to the petition, the Government said: “Driving offences can have devastating consequences for victims and their loved ones.

"Sentencing in individual cases is always a matter for the courts, which are independent.

“This was a deeply tragic case and our sympathies remain with Violet-Grace’s family. No sentence can make up for the loss of a loved one but we are focused on getting the law right, to ensure the changes we make are comprehensive, proportionate and, we hope, might help avoid some further unnecessary deaths on our roads.”

In Warrington North, 1,460 people signed the petition and in Warrington South, 1,491 signed it.

They were both in the top 10 constituences in the country to back the vote.

Monday afternoon's debate will be chaired by Warrington North MP Helen Jones and provides an opportunity for MPs to question a Government Minister directly on this topic.