Professional footballer jailed for seven years

Footballer Luke McCormick has been jailed for seven years for causing the deaths of two young brothers in a motorway crash this summer. Luke McCormick, 25, was driving under the influence of alcohol when his black Range Rover collided with a family car on the M6 killing Arron Peak, 10, and his little brother Ben, 8.

The young boys, from Manchester, were on the way for a day out at the Silverstone racetrack when they were hit by the Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper who was driving home from a team-mate’s wedding.

The boys’ father Phil, who was driving the car, was seriously injured by the crash and now uses a wheelchair. Members of the Peak family holding pictures of the boys angrily confronted the footballer outside Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. McCormick was sentenced to seven years and four months in jail after he pleaded guilty to causing deaths by dangerous driving and a charge of driving with excess alcohol. The charges carried a maximum tariff of 14 years in jail.

The custodial sentence will end the career of the player, whose contract with the Championship team has already been terminated. McCormick is a former England youth international who was twice voted Argyle’s young player of the season.

Amanda Peak, the boys’ mother was in court holding a soft toy and a photograph of her sons as she listened to a statement read out on behalf of the family: “Both Phil and I are devastated at the sudden and tragic death of our two beautiful boys, Arron and Ben. No parent should ever have to go through the nightmare we have gone through. Arron was my eldest son, loved life and especially football at which he excelled. Ben was a happy loving son and brother and nothing will ever compensate us for the loss we are feeling.”

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Released on Thursday 6th October 08