Drink driver who killed Stafford war veteran after knocking him down wins jail sentence appeal
A drunk driver who killed a war veteran on Christmas Day by knocking him down and dragging him under his van has had his minimum sentence cut by judges.
Josef Moscicki was given a life sentence after being found guilty of murdering 83-year-old Bernard James Smith, known as Jim, in Stafford.
The pensioner had been walking to his home in Shakespeare Road from Highfields Social Club in the early hours of December 25, 2013, when he was hit by the Ford Transit in Burns Avenue.
After dragging Mr Smith more than 650ft, Moscicki drove away from the scene.
But the killer returned a short while later and deliberately drove over Mr Smith's legs in front of eye witnesses.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court in 2014, Moscicki, 24, of Gorse Ride North, Finchamptead, was ordered to serve at least 21 years behind bars. But at London's Appeal Court yesterday his barrister Rossano Scarmadella argued that was too tough. He said the murder was not premeditated and pointed to Moscicki's youth.
Judge John Waitruled that 21 years was 'excessive' and reduced the minimum term to 18 years.
Mr Smith suffered broken arms, a broken leg, there were fractures to his breast bone, ribs and spine, torn ligaments and a brain injury.
The original trial heard that Mr Smith had served in Korea in the Royal Engineers and been a member of the Royal British Legion.
