Jack Tobin, the son of former Newfoundland Premier Brian Toplin, was sentenced to three years in a Canadian penitentiary and a seven year driving ban for a drunk driving accident that killed his friend. On the night of Christmas Eve 2010, Toplin and six other friends were under the influence of alcohol while fooling around in an empty parking lot which caused the crash that left Alex Zolpis pinned under Toplin’s pickup truck. Judge Lise Maisonneuve based her sentencing on Toplin’s past driving history which included three license suspensions and eleven speeding convictions and also on the remorse and shame felt by Toplin. The prosecutor in the trial originally requested five years in prison and a ten year ban on driving but Judge Maisonneuve saw the sentencing as too harsh.
This sentencing was extremely too light for Jack Toplin due not only to killing a person but also because he committed a serious offense in Canada. In Canada, if an impaired driver killers someone, the judge can sentence them to a life-sentence in prison. Toplin’s act goes against the social norm all around the world. Driving under the Influence is a serious crime throughout the globe due to the increase in deaths and accidents Countries all over the world are cracking down on DUIs and are even going as far as lowering the Blood Alcohol Limit or banning alcohol all together. In some areas, such as Italy, your vehicle will be sold and you will be sentenced to up to five years in jail.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1047211--judge-sentences-jack-tobin-to-three-years-in-prison-for-drunk-driving-death
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