'Justice has been done' - Father speaks out after appeal by the man whose car killed his son in Oldbury is thrown out
The father of Ben Corfield says justice has been done after an appeal by a dangerous driver against a 13-year jail sentence for killing his son and another teenager was thrown out of the high court.
Damian Corfield said the unanimous decision would never bring his son Ben or his friend Liberty Charris back, but at least it would mean the prisoner would serve his full sentence.
Dhiya Al Maamoury lost control of his blue and white Nissan Skyline and ploughed into a group of pedestrians who were gathered on the pavement at the side of the A457 Oldbury Road in Oldbury, at around 11.30pm on November 20, 2022.
The collision killed 19-year-old Ben and 16-year-old Liberty and seriously injured Ethan Kilburn, who was 21, and Ebonie Parkes, who was 20 at the time.
Al Maamoury was jailed for 13 and a half years by Judge Michael Chambers KC at Wolverhampton Crown Court in November last year after admitting two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving - charges he initially denied until the trial day.
In his summing up comments, Judge Chambers said Al Maamoury’s vehicle was “powerful, loud, noisy and aggressive” as he jailed him.
But just over six months after he was sentenced, Al Maamoury’s legal team appealed the sentence - it was unanimously rejected.
Speaking after the appeal hearing today, Mr Corfield said justice had been served.
He said: "I welcome the verdict today which saw the appeal by this excuse for an individual who initially denied what he did only to change his mind on the day of the trial.
"To appeal the sentence which was rightfully handed down by Judge Chambers so soon after it had started was hard for us to take but I am just so pleased the verdict to reject it was unanimous and it reinforces my faith in the judicial system in this country.
"I would like to thank the judges who made this decision, the police who have been so supportive, our wider family and friends who have supported us since Ben's death, which is still raw and always will be.
“Ben was a caring person who would do anything to help anyone out, I was the lucky one; he wanted to emulate everything I did.
“The pain of losing a child is unbearable; it’s unimaginable, heart-tearing pain that’s with you every second of the day and night and it never goes away - it won't after today but at least we know the man responsible will serve his full term."
Mr Corfield said he would continue to support the Express & Star's campaign for Ben's Law, calling for a blanket ban on street racing, with a petition reaching more than 100 signatures in the first week after it was launched in June.
