‘No hiding place’ - Campaign to name and shame Norwich drink-drivers backed by father of tragic teenager

Lisa Jermy, who died in 2006 following a road traffic collision in Magdalen Road, Norwich. (Image: ©Norfolk Police)

The Norwich Evening News has vowed to publicise as many festive drink-drive court cases as possible.

The Name and Shame 2014/15 campaign, which runs from today to January 9, is being supported by Peter Jermy.

Mr Jermy's 16-year-old daughter Lisa was killed by a drink-driver who crashed into a group of youngsters on Magdalen Road, Norwich, in 2006.

The 64-year-old, of Margaret Paston Avenue, Norwich, said: 'I think if someone's name is in the paper it might shake a lot of people up because it's the last thing a lot of people would want.

Floral tributes and photographs in memory of Lisa Jermy outside the Norwich shop where she died after being hit by a car in 2006. Photo: Simon Finlay. (Image: Archant © 2006)

'They wouldn't like to see their names put in the paper and I think it might make people think a lot.'

It is eight years since his daughter's death but the pain remains with Mr Jermy and the rest of his family every day.

That is something that he wants to get across to people who are prepared to drink and drive.

Mr Jermy said: 'They could kill someone by their actions and whatever sentence they get they've got to realise that the parents and friends and sisters and brothers have got that with them for the rest of their lives. You don't get over it.'

He added: 'Some people try to get over it by blotting it out.

'I've found it's the wrong thing to do. We talk about my daughter and my wife goes to the cemetery every day and we think how she could've been married now, had children...'

By speaking out about the devastation that drink-driving causes, Mr Jermy hoped that, together with the launch of our campaign, it might make people think before they got behind the wheel after a drink.

Last year, 5,547 drivers were tested across Norfolk and Suffolk, with 204 testing positive, but Chief Inspector Chris Spinks, head of Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing Unit, said he hoped our campaign might help drive those numbers down.

He said: 'Anything that can act as a deterrent in relation to making people think, 'I don't want to be caught or I don't want to end up with everyone knowing what I've done', will hopefully make them think twice before they drink and drive.'

Launching the the police's own campaign in recent days, Chf Insp Spinks urged people to shop drink-drivers in a push to catch the 'hardcore minority' who diced with death.

Police are carrying out extra patrols and breathalysing any driver who is stopped through concern over their manner of driving, a vehicle defect or involvement in a collision.

And now police are supporting a national Crimestoppers campaign which urges people who know someone who regularly drink-drives to give information anonymously.

If someone is about to commit an offence, then call police on 999.