THE MUM of Wirral teenager Jack Jones has spoken out after her son’s killer has been jailed for speeding again.
At around 9.33pm on April 26, 2021, Jack Jones, 15, from Woodchurch, was riding his bike to his aunt’s house in Moreton where he was meant to stay the night.
However, while Jack was riding on Manor Drive in Upton he was hit by the driver of a Volkswagon Tiguan driving between 53-55mph on the 30mph road.
The man behind the wheel was 22-year-old Leo Meek.
READ: Driver jailed for killing Jack Jones in hit-and-run
After hitting Jack, Meek drove away without stopping or breaking, into the junction by Lorreto Drive, 200m away from the scene, where he abandoned his car.
He then later arrived at his address in a Hackney cab.
READ: Mum of Jack Jones describes "torturous ache" of losing her son
Neighbours, who had helped Jack on the night of the incident called for emergency services, and Jack was taken to Arrowe Park Hospital to be resuscitated but died the following morning.
During a post-mortem examination it was found that Jack had severe head and neck injures which would have made him “instantly unconscious”.
Meek, of West Way, Moreton, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident.
In August 2021, at Liverpool Crown Court he was sentenced to three years and four months in prison and was disqualified from driving for 56 months.
Meek served 14 months of his 40-month sentence before being released on licence in December 2022.
READ: "Lenient sentences are no deterrent" says mum of hit and run victim Jack Jones
The current sentencing guidelines for someone convicted of causing death by dangerous driving state the maximum jail term is 14 years.
At the time of Meek’s sentencing, Jack’s mother, Marjorie Jones, spoke to the Globe about how "lenient sentences are no deterrent".
She said: “It should be taken into account that he left the scene and did nothing to help Jack that night.
“It should reflect the severity of the offence. In Jack’s case, the severity of the offence wasn’t reflected in the sentence. The lenient sentences are no deterrent.
“In a couple of years, he could be out by the time Jack would have even turned 18. He’s only 22 so he’s still got his whole life ahead of him when he gets out.
“The laws need renewing. It needs to change because it doesn’t seem to be taken seriously in the eyes of the law.”
However, despite Marjorie’s concerns over Meek’s sentence, the criminal has now committed further offences after he led police on a dangerous pursuit reaching speeds of more than 100mph in a 40mph zone, while driving a stolen vehicle.
Meek appeared at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 where he was sentenced to 22 months for dangerous driving and handling stolen goods.
The 25-year-old, of no fixed abode, had previously pleaded guilty to the offences.
During the afternoon of Wednesday, July 19, 2023, an officer was in an unmarked police vehicle when he sighted a stolen vehicle, a white BWM M135i, on Rivacre Road, Ellesmere Port.
READ: Killer of wirral teen Jack Jones jailed for speeding 100mph in stolen car
As the officer caught up to the vehicle, the driver – later identified as Meek - made a sudden turn and started increasing in speed and refusing to stop, despite the police vehicle’s blue lights being activated.
The stolen BMW overtook multiple vehicles, tailgating them to force them to pull over, and picked up speeds of more than 100mph along winding narrow roads, more than double the 40mph speed limit.
Having lost sight of the vehicle due to the excess speeds, the officer rounded a corner to find the BMW had crashed on the bridge above the M53.
The car had hit the barrier with such force it had dented it, and in doing so prevented it from falling onto the motorway below.
Meek was confirmed as the driver after his DNA was recovered from the steering wheel airbag, which had been deployed in the crash.
He was then arrested and charged in relation to the incident.
Meek’s DNA was already registered on the Police National Computer System following his previous dangerous driving conviction where he killed Jack.
On top of his latest sentence, Meek is disqualified from driving for 47 months.
Marjorie shared her heartbreak over hearing that her son’s killer had been let loose on the streets again.
She told the Globe: “I’ve held my tongue for long enough, kept a dignified silence but not now, that scum was released from prison December 2022 a day before what should of been Jacks 17th birthday after only serving 14 months of his pitiful 40 month sentence.
“So he was only out for a mere six months before he was caught speeding and driving recklessly again.
“I received a call from victim support only five weeks ago telling me the scumbag had been sent back to prison for breaking his license conditions but wasn’t told when or what he had done, after that phone call I fell apart all over again, that realization that he hadn’t changed, he had no regard for Jack or any remorse for what he had done.
“I think I had a small glimmer of hope his short time spent in prison would change him and he would do better and possibly in time do good, and all this lifetime of absolute devastation he has caused would of not been for nothing but no he hasn’t change nor will he ever and this is proof.
“My son lost his life for nothing and that scumbag doesn’t care. He doesn’t care that he killed a child, a boy of 15 years old, Jack died of catastrophic injuries and yet that scumbag has done exactly the same thing again.
“He deserves to rot and I hope nothing good will ever come to him, nothing short of what he deserves.
“Clearly he will never change, watching the video and reading the articles it’s the same thing, only thinking of himself and not caring about anybody else or what consequences his actions may have.
Leo Meek, 25, of no fixed abode has been jailed for 22 months following a pursuit where he reached speeds of 100mph in a stolen BMW. He was sentenced yesterday having previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and handling stolen goods.
— Cheshire Police Roads and Crime Unit (@CheshireRCU) May 23, 2024
Read more - https://t.co/7PkkLPwG27 pic.twitter.com/YIr1jipn3M
“I’m just reeling from it all.
“The sentences he has been handed are a joke, both sentences should run coherently and he shouldn’t get out of prison for a very long time.
“But sure enough he will most likely serve half of the 22-month sentence and be back on the streets again putting others at risk and ruining lives whether that be from his reckless selfish behaviour behind the wheel of a car or him being a thief.
“Losing a child is devastating enough but knowing another person is responsible and then the realisation that that person will never be truly sorry and remorseful and will never change their ways just makes the loss of Jack even more painful.”
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