Cyclist's family "gutted" at news his killer will serve less than half sentence

The family of a cyclist killed by a drunk driver have spoken of their shock at being told his killer would serve less than half his sentence.

Edward 'George' Orrey, 56 died on February 9, 2013 when he was hit by a car driven by Kingsley Gordon-Allen, 20 outside Leytonstone tube station. Mr Orrey, who was on his way home from working as a steel erection foreman on the “Cheesegrater” Leadenhall Building, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gordon-Allen pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving whilst unfit through alcohol. He was sentenced to eight years in prison and disqualified from driving for ten years.

An additional three years were added to his sentence for an attack on a 50-year-old man while he was out on bail.

But despite a total sentence of 11 years, Mr Orrey's family say they have been told that Gordon-Allen has been given a release date of January 2018.

Elaine Orrey, 54, told Zoie O'Brien, of Waltham Forest Guardian: “We had a new family liaison officer and she told me that he will be out in four years whether he behaves or not, and if we don’t object he will be out in three-and-a-half.

“He could start coming out on licence in 24 months.

“I’m absolutely gutted.

“We were led to believe that if he gets over ten years he will serve a minimum of two thirds of that time.

“They don’t give a damn about the people left behind, the victims. We have been through all this for nothing.

“In court the police took us outside to speak to us in the street because there was no space in the court. The date was moved the first time and then the judge tried to throw it out of court because he was taken to the wrong court and we had come down from Cornwall.

“My husband worked hard his entire life. He was doing a job to support his family.

“I have no faith in the so-called justice system. I had heard stories before but never in my life did I imagine we would be treated like this.”

Frankie Orrey, 34, has called for changes to the justice system.

She said: “It is like my dad meant nothing. If [Gordon-Allen] comes out of prison in 2018 he will still be young, he will have a life ahead of him and probably new qualifications.

“He will have served his time in a young offenders’ institute, not even a real prison. We have been treated like the criminals.

“Kingsley Gordon-Allen has never shown any remorse for what he did.”